Never Too Late
by xxCarrie-Annxx
Summary: With Craig,Jack,and Lucille in jail,Troy and Gabriella are at peace.Life takes an unexpected turn when Maria returns and demands custody of Gabriella.Will Troy win the fight for her or will Maria's new fiance cause him to lose her forever? SG sequel
1. trailer

AN: So, I finally decided to start the sequel to Saving Grace, which I think I've decided to title Never Too Late (obviously). I reposted this because I'm soon going to remove the trailer from Saving Grace. But, so it doesn't look like I'm teasing you or anything, I have the first chapter done and I intend to have it posted by the end of today. And, also, I extended the trailer a bit. Exciting, right?

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

* * *

**They thought they finally had their happy ending...**

_Shows Troy and Chad playing basketball one-on-one._

_Shows Gabriella sitting on her bed in Troy's lap._

"_I love you," he whispers._

**But, one phone call...**

"_Hello? Who is this?"_

"_Gabriella?"_

"_Dad?"_

**Two unexpected visitors....**

_Shows Troy and Gabriella kissing on a porch. The door opens and the two pull apart, Gabriella's eyes wide as she stares at the man and woman._

"_Mom?"_

"_...This is Matt, my fiancé."_

**And one new coach...**

_Shows the Wildcats murmuring amongst themselves as a man makes his way over to them._

"_I'm __Matthew __Jones, and I'll be your new coach." _

**Could change everything.**

_Shows Maria arguing with Rachel._

"_She's my daughter! I demand custody!"_

_Shows Troy and Gabriella making out on her bed. Maria walks in._

"_It's my life, not yours! It's not my fault you screwed up!You can't just waltz back into my life and screw this one up, too!"_

_Shows Maria slapping Gabriella._

**Will Troy win the fight for Gabriella?**

"_You and Maria don't give a damn about what Gabriella wants!"_

"_Like you care! You only want her around for your own personal use!"_

**Or, are the sacrifices too much?**

"_I just got kicked off the team because of you!"_

"_Because of me? You were the one who got into a fight with him, Troy. If memory serves me correct, I didn't ask you to!"_

**Will he realize what's most important before it's too late?**

_Shows Gabriella sitting beside Maria on a plane._

_Shows Troy running through the airport._

**Or, is he already too late?**

"_Gabriella, please. We can make it work!"_

_Gabriella shakes her head. "I can't keep doing this, Troy. Loving you hurts too much."_

**Find out in ****the sequel to Saving Grace**

_"I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes."_

_"Don't waste your time, because I will never return to you."_

**Never Too Late**

_"It's too late. I'm already here."_

_"It's never too late, because so am I."_


	2. New Beginning

AN: As promised, here is the long-awaited first chapter. Not really any drama, just some fluff, or as I'd like to call it, "the calm before the storm". Also, don't be alarmed if it takes me a month to write chapter two because I have a college placement test on Saturday and after that it's finals, so I can't be sure when I'll have time to update again. Just know that I will...someday. And, as always, reviews are much appreciated.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my ocs.

* * *

Sitting at the white desk located in the corner of her room (known formally as the attic), Gabriella concentrated on the worksheet before her. Advanced Calculus was not her favorite class, that she knew for sure. Sure, she had straight As in the class, but it was a struggle.

Brushing away the eraser bits that outlined several of her answers, she looked over her work and decided it was time for a short break. There were only ten problems left. Ten problems incomplete out of forty wasn't too bad. Besides, she had the rest of today and the next to finish it.

At that precise moment, her cell phone started playing "Love Story" by Taylor Swift, indicating that she had a text. Smiling, she immediately knew who it was.

Flipping open her cell phone, she read his message with the same smile dancing across her lips._ Look outside _it read. Her smile widened as she walked across the room until she reached the window. There, she found her boyfriend of eight months, waving wildly with one hand. She laughed upon seeing the goofy smile on his face. He held his other hand behind his back suspiciously.

"I suppose you want in," she called, feeling the butterflies fluttering in her stomach, the same way they always did when he was near.

"That, or you can come to me," he said.

"I suppose you may," she said. "Meet me at the back door."

Racing downstairs, Gabriella nearly ran over her aunt, Rachel, as she made dinner.

"Where's the fire?" she teased.

"No fire," she said.

"Oh, so it must be Troy, then," she said, knowing her niece all too well.

"That's right," she said, opening the back door, instantly greeted by Troy's smiling face. Unable to control herself, she threw her arms around him, the force knocking him back a few steps. Chuckling, he returned the embrace, careful not to smoother the item in his hands.

"Wow, I should go away more often," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"No, you are going nowhere other than with me," she said, finally releasing him. She smiled, for in his hand was a beautiful bouquet of pink roses, her favorite.

"For you," he said, handing her the flowers. There was one in the center that looked slightly different from the rest. She touched it, only to realize it was plastic.

"I'll love you until that one dies," he explained, sensing her confusion. "So, it looks like you're kind of stuck with me."

"They're beautiful. Thank you," she mused. "And, being stuck with you isn't a bad thing."

"My flower is the most beautiful of them all," he claimed, lifting her chin with his hand before pressing his lips to hers in the first kiss they shared in nearly a week.

"Hello, Troy," Rachel said, interrupting the couple who blushed and pulled apart. Rachel laughed.

"H-hi, Rachel," he stuttered, looking away sheepishly.

"Let's go to my room," Gabriella said, tugging at his hand. "Aunt Rachel, do you have a vase for me to put these roses in?"

"You can just leave them down here for now. I'll bring them up once I find something," she said as she handed her the flowers. "By the way, kids, don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Does plotting to skip town together fall under that category?" Troy asked, giving Gabriella a teasing smile as she crossed her arms and gave him a stern look.

"You do that on your own time," Gabriella said, leading him upstairs. "Right now, though, you're mine."

"Yes ma'am," he said.

Closing the door behind him, Troy sat on the edge of her neatly-made bed. Gabriella sat at her rolling desk chair and moved it closer to him. He frowned. "I don't like where you're sitting," he said.

Rolling her eyes, she stood up and sat in his lap instead, facing him. "Better?" she asked as his arms snaked around the small of her back. Without hesitation, she wound her legs around him, straddling his waist.

"I quite enjoy this," he said, unable to hide his boyish grin.

"I know you do," she replied, smirking as she placed a light peck on his lips. "Welcome home, Wildcat," she whispered.

"Oh, come on, Brie. I've been gone for _five days_. Don't I get more of a welcoming?" he asked innocently.

Giggling, she pressed her lips back on his, this time allowing him to take the reigns. Usually, she wouldn't go for one day without at least one kiss from him, but he left for Thanksgiving break with his newly adopted family, the Danforths. Regardless of how much she missed him, she was thankful that the Danforth family took him in. They treated Troy like their second son. They were teaching him what the love of family was, something he'd been deprived of his entire life. Also, in the course of eight months, she noticed that Troy and Chad went from being hardly friends to becoming like brothers, and Chad even treated her like a sister. Admittedly, it was Chad who had helped both of them feel alive again. His lively and playful nature taught them how to have fun. For the first time in their lives, they felt like normal teenagers.

As the kiss deepened, Troy's hands roamed the sides of her body, memorizing her every curve. His touch was gentle and loving, not violating and pushy. Troy wasn't like that. He respected her body and never intentionally touched her in ways that she didn't want him to. In fact, the only reason he was going as far as he was was because, lately, she had been persuading him to. If not for that, she knew that his hands would be the least bit involved during the make-out session.

"That's more like it," he said, pressing his forehead against hers once they parted, his hands resting on her hips. "Oh yes, you told me that I'm yours right now, so what exactly do you plan to do with me?"

Closing her eyes, she smiled as she said, "Handcuff your feet to the bed and force you to finish my calculus homework."

"I will if you don't mind failing," he said. "Either way, I better get a reward."

"And what would you want?" she asked him.

"World domination. The usual," he answered.

"Okay, let me call the world leaders and see what they say," she replied sarcastically.

"I'd settle for a kiss or two from you," he said.

"You sure ask for a lot," she said, smiling as he pecked her lips again.

"Yeah, considering I get those for free everyday," he agreed. "And, since I missed five days, doesn't this mean I get five kisses to make up for it?"

"I think it's_ you_ that should be kissing _me_," she claimed.

"Gladly," he said, giving her a light peck. "One," he counted, causing her to laugh. He kissed her again. "Two." He did this three more times. "...And five."

"Are you sure that was five? I thought it was four," she teased.

"Just in case..." He kissed her again. "There."

"So, how was your vacation?" she asked him.

"It was okay," he answered. "It would've been better if you were there."

"I thought we already established that we can't be together every second of everyday, as nice as that would be...." she said.

"I know, but I had to keep staring at your picture just to keep me sane for those tedius five days," he said. "It felt like five years."

"Couldn't Chad keep you occupied?" she asked.

"We played monopoly. I won. He accused me of burglary," he said, chuckling at the memory.

Gabriella laughed at this. "Anything else?"

"We shared a room. I thought his snoring was bad when I wasn't in the same room. It's a lot worse close up," he said. "He also teased me about you a lot, so last night, around four AM, I snuck into the kitchen and found a bottle of hot sauce and jalepeno peppers. I mixed the peppers into the hot sauce and had poured nearly the entire bottle into his already-open mouth." If Troy hadn't been holding her, Gabriella knew she would've fallen off the bed from laughing so hard. "I swear, I've never seen him run so fast in my life, not even during a game. So, I told him that I want to see him run like that more often," he continued.

"You're insane," she said, still laughing. Her side was starting to hurt, but she couldn't stop.

"I love you, too," he said sarcastically.

Finally managing to calm down, she replied. "Yeah, I guess I love you. But, you're still crazy."

"And that's exactly why you love me," he said as she snuggled her head into his chest."You know, sometimes, we sound like sappy characters out of those corny teen romance novels."

"And you know this because..." she taunted.

"I know all about Taylor Lautner and Rob Pattenson. No need to hide your other boyfriends from me," he teased her.

"Oh, is Troy jealous?" she asked.

"No," he denied, smirking. "It's them that should be jealous of _me_."

"And why is that?" she questioned.

"Because, it's neither of their laps that you're sitting in right now," he pointed out, causing her to laugh.

"Actually you make a very good point," she admitted.

"And, also, they're not the ones you're dying to kiss right now," he said.

"Yeah, you're right," she said, grinning. "How did you know that I'm dying to kiss Zac Efron?"

Troy winced as though he was in pain. "Ouch, Brie, that hurts...You have no idea how much...."

Giggling, she pressed her lips to his, harder this time. She pressed against his body, enough that he fell backwards on the mattress. He was right about her wanting to kiss him. Her usual need for him was five times worse than usual, due to the separation. He had barely begun to satisfy it. His own desires caused him to react accordingly. He flipped her over so she was lying flat as he climbed on top of her, never breaking the kiss. His hands wound through her hair as hers remained locked around his shoulders, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. His hands traveled from the roots of her hair to her neck as he pulled away abruptly.

Disappointed, she watched as he readjusted his attire and sat on the opposite side of the bed. "Listen," he started, and she did. Sitting up, she watched as the door opened. Now, she understood.

"I found a vase," Rachel announced, sitting the bouquet on her desk.

"Thanks," Gabriella replied, regaining her composure. Once Rachel was gone, she turned back to Troy. "That was close," she said.

"Yeah," he agreed, smiling at her eagerly. "So, now, where were we?"

"I believe you were trying to yank out my hair," she replied.

"Exactly how you were trying to tear my shirt off," he said.

"You wish," she said, rolling her eyes.

"No," he disagreed. "That's _your _wish."


	3. Alone

AN: Sorry this took longer than I thought...I kind of neglected all my stories for a while, but luckily this double blizzard hit me just in time to get me out of school for 6 days...Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I won't keep you waiting any longer :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Parking her car in the school's parking lot, Gabriella stepped outside and stared at East High for the first time in nearly two weeks. It felt strange to be back, but simultaneously she was glad. She hadn't seen her friends at all during that time and she only saw Troy a few days. Now, she would return to seeing them every day.

"So, Gabriella, how was your break?" Kelsi Nielson asked her, smiling excitedly. Turning to the smaller girl, Gabriella grinned.

"Pretty boring and uneventful," she answered. "How about yours?"

"All right," she replied, shrugging. "My mom burned the turkey. That was the most excitement I had. Why was yours so boring?"

"I didn't see Troy until Monday," she said, pouting. "I don't like being away from him for too long."

Kelsi laughed. "Of course you don't. Without him around, I'm sure you were bored out of your mind."

"He certainly helps pass the time away," she agreed. "On Monday, he gave me a bouquet. One was a fake rose. He told me he'd love me until the last one withers."

"Aw, that's cute," she replied. "Who would've ever thought that Troy Bolton was actually sentimental? Say, does he by any chance have a brother? Maybe a cousin or two..."

"None that I'm aware of," Gabriella said, laughing slightly.

"You know, you coming here has really transformed him," she said. "He used to be angry all the time, but for practical reasons...He got in fights a lot, too. Ever since you came, though, he hasn't gotten in trouble once, and he always wears a smile on his face...A very alluring smile I might add..."

"No daydreaming about my boyfriend," Gabriella scolded, although smiling. "That's my job."

"Good morning, ladies." Without turning her head, Gabriella recognized the figure walking behind them instantly. Hearing his voice alone caused her stomach to fill with butterflies.

"Good morning, Troy," she said as his hands gently massaged her shoulders. "How are you today?"

"Eh...so so," he replied, sliding his hands down her arms with diliberate slowness. "But, my morning's complete now that you're a part of it."

"Aw, you're so sweet," she commented. "By the way, did Chad ever extract his revenge?"

"This morning," Troy said reluctantly, scrunching his nose. "Hence the so-so part..."

"What did he do?" she asked curiously.

"Well, first, he used a blow horn to wake me up at five AM," he started. "Then, he decided to use his paintball gun to shoot, no, _pelt_ me with paint balls."

The two girls lost control as they laughed hysterically. "Serves you right!" Gabriella remarked once she started to calm down.

"Brie, I thought he was literally going to _kill_ me!" Troy claimed as she finally turned to him. "Then you wouldn't get anymore of my like, totally _amazing_ kisses..."

Pecking his lips lightly as his arms encircled her waist, she murmured, "I do like those...But, I'm positive I can find better...."

Troy took a step back and withdrew his arms. Sniffling, he looked to the floor as he spoke, "First, my so-called _brother_ abused me with paint and now my girlfriend, the girl who I would give my own life for, is saying that she's sure she can do better than me....I thought you _loved _me..."

Sighing, Gabriella wrapped her arms around his back. "I'll _always_ love you," she said.

"I'll remember that," he replied, grinning as he kissed her forehead. The warning bell rang and he groaned. "Another day, more Darbus..."

"I'll see you later," Kelsi said, walking away to her homeroom, leaving Troy and Gabriella to head for the drama room.

"See you at lunch," Gabriella replied, reluctantly releasing Troy from her embrace. Entwining their fingers, Troy smiled as they started walking. "What are you suddenly so happy about?" she asked him.

"The fact that I'm with you always makes me happy," he said, looking down at their connected hands. "Haven't you figured that out yet?"

Blushing, she allowed him lead her to the room before speaking again, "I'll never understand why being with me makes you so happy...Don't I ever bore you?"

"Never," he replied. "I'm just shocked that I don't annoy you."

"No, that's Chad's job," she replied, giving him a quick kiss before sitting in her assigned seat in the second row beside Taylor McKessie.

"Good morning, Tay," Gabriella greeted, a soft smile playing on her lips as Troy walked away. "Did you have a nice break?"

"Yeah," she answered, smirking as her eyes darted to Troy's retreating figure momentarily. "Probably not as good as yours, I'm sure."

Knowing what she was insinuating, Gabriella laughed."Jealous, Tay?" she questioned.

"You may have changed him, but underneath it all, he's still a guy, making him an inferior being to our level of intellect," she said, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Although, I will admit he's kind of nice to stare at...When he's not speaking..."

Gabriella shook her head, trying not to laugh. "I'm not looking for book smarts when choosing a boyfriend....I'm looking for a warm heart."

"And you get the nice body," she teased. "Package deal."

"His arms are really nice..." Gabriella replied, smiling shyly. "And he has a pretty nice backside..."

Taylor rolled her eyes, although her amusement was evident. "Okay, Gabriella, spare me the details, please."

Gabriella was about to respond when a third voice interrupted their conversation, "Yo, Gabbers, have a sec?" Turning, Gabriella first noticed the enormous afro, belonging to only one person that she knew.

"Sure, Chad, what's up?" she asked as Chad stared at the back of the room for an instant. Following his gaze, she found Troy engrossed in a conversation with Zeke Baylor and Jason Cross, two other members of the basketball team. This indicated to her immediately that whatever he wanted had to do with him.

"I need to get Troy back," he said. "And, I need your help."

"Didn't you already get him back?" she asked, recalling her earlier conversation with Troy.

"Every good plan has a part two," he replied. "My part two is simply this: I'm going to throw paper at you like he once pulled last year...Remember?"

"Yeah," she said, scrunching her forehead in confusion.

"And remember the punishment you gave him?" he asked her.

Nodding, she elaborated, "I wouldn't kiss him or let him kiss me for the rest of the day."

"Yes, and that was pure _torture_ for him," he replied. "So, I'm going to do it and blame him. You just need to believe me and reinstate that punishment."

"I'm not going to do that to him," she said. "I'm not that cruel, and I'd feel guilty since I'd know the truth."

"Just lighten up. What's the fun of being in a relationship if you can't make jokes at the others' expense or pull pranks on them?" Chad questioned. "Troy won't be offended. He'd understand that we were only messing with him."

Sighing, she said, "Fine. I'll do it, but on one condition..."

"Name it," he told her.

"After this, you two have to end your silly little prank war," she stated. "You'll be even."

"Aw, you take the fun out of everything," he complained.

"Do you want me to do it or not?" she asked.

"Fine," he said, turning briefly to look at Troy. "I'll head back over before he catches us..."

"Well, this should be interesting," Taylor remarked once Chad was gone.

Gabriella shrugged innocently. "Anything to spice up a Darbus speech."

"Good morning, class," Ms. Darbus said, ending all conversations abruptly.

"Good morning, Ms. Darbus," said Sharpay Evans, as perky and lively as ever. Gabriella stiffed a laugh, for she was the only one in the room with enough energy to so much as greet their teacher.

When Ms. Darbus had her back turned, Gabriella felt a few small wads of paper strike her in the back of the head. Turning, she met Chad's gaze as he stealthily pointed to Troy who sat next to him on his right. Looking to Troy, she almost laughed at the confused expression on his face as he started at the two. His warm ocean blue eyes locked solely on hers, and it caused her to almost blow Chad's plan, not that she would've cared. Smiling slightly, Gabriella tapped her bottom lip twice inconspicuously. He watched the movement as she followed it up by shaking her head, a simple gesture that he apparently understood based on his horrified expression. Not wanting to look at either boy, she turned back around just as Ms. Darbus turned away from the blackboard to continue on with her announcements.

In agony, Troy waited impatiently for the homeroom dismissal bell to ring. He didn't like the signal given to him by Gabriella. He knew how much she hated when he did things to bother her in school...He didn't enjoy making her mad, and he certainly didn't like the punishment that she normally assigned that she was apparently giving him now. However, he hadn't done anything this time. It was obvious that this was Chad's work. He just had to convince her...

The bell dismissal to first period finally rang, snapping him from his thoughts. Abruptly, Troy stood up and quickly caught up to Gabriella at the door. Before she could turn around, he took her hand and pulled her off to the side.

"Brie, I swear I wasn't the paper thrower this time," he started, his eyes pleading with her. "It was Chad! I don't know why he did it, but--" For reasons unknown to him, Gabriella started laughing. Confused, he asked, "What's so funny?"

"Got you again, Troy." Turning, Troy glared venomously at his "brother" who was headed towards them. Chad raised his hand and slapped Gabriella's newly extended one. "Thanks again, Gabs. You did great. I could tell he was freaking out all throughout homeroom."

"You were in on this?" Troy said, feigning hurt. "Gabriella, how could you?"

"Chill, Wildcat," she said, pressing her lips to his cheek. "It was all in good fun."

"So does this mean I can kiss you?" he asked, looking hopeful.

Gabriella pondered this for a moment. "Hm, maybe..."

"If you say yes then I'm not keeping up my end of the bargain," Chad warned her.

"And what might that be?" Troy asked him.

"The deal was I'd end this prank war if she deprived you for the next twenty-four hours," Chad told him, smirking. "If not, I have the perfect idea for part three..."

Sighing, Troy turned back to her and spoke, "Fine, fine. I guess I'll live another day..."

"You will," she agreed. "Now, I must go. I have calculus."

"Have fun with that," Troy said, giving her a light kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you later."

* * *

After school, Gabriella unlocked the front door of her home and threw her bag carelessly on the couch before wondering into the kitchen. She immediately headed for the refrigerator and poured a glass of ice tea, her favorite beverage, especially her aunt's homemade recipe. Taking a sip, she took it into the living room and flipped on the television, turning on the news. The meteorologist was giving his hourly weather report. She frowned, for it was calling for rain later that evening.

She watched as several top stories flashed across the screen. A convenience store had been robbed, a fight broke out that ended fatally, a young girl had gone missing on Black Friday...It was really nothing out of the ordinary. Given all she had been through, nothing really seemed to surprise her.

As she was about to take another sip of her drink, the house phone started ringing. Looking at the caller ID, Gabriella's forehead wrinkled in confusion. She recognized the area code as a California number, but a name didn't emerge.

"Hello," she greeted, hesitantly awaiting a stranger's reply. It was probably just a wrong number, she thought.

"Gabriella? Is that you?"

Gabriella's face paled as the voice registered in her mind. Never again did she think she would hear his voice....It was a distant memory to her now. It had been nearly a year since she last heard him speak. "Dad?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. A thousand memories rushed through her mind, causing her to nearly drop the phone. "I-I can't...."

"Gabriella, don't hang up." This didn't come across as a demand. He was begging.

The last memory she had of Craig suddenly flashed through her mind, and it was all she could think about. "Y-you killed her...." she managed to say, her eyes swimming with tears. "H-how could you?"

"Gabriella, I'm sorry." Those three words, so simple yet so powerful. It was one phrase she thought she would never hear him say. However, that wasn't enough. Sorry would never be enough, not as long as her sister was dead.

Clearing her throat, she spoke, "Sorry isn't going to bring Allie or mom back to me, now will it?" Her voice was edgier than she wanted. Never before had she spoken to him in this way. Never before had she been this brave. She could speak to him this way and there was nothing he could do besides hang up, which she silently prayed that he would do.

"Gabriella, please, you're all that I have left," he pleaded.

"How did you know where to contact me?" she questioned, ignoring his plea.

"Family," he answered. "Gabriella, please....I know it never seemed this way before, but I love you....please, just talk to me. I--"

Unable to handle anymore, Gabriella hung up. Her knees trembled as she lost feeling, sending her to the floor. Cradling her knees in her arms, she sobbed, her body shaking with every breath she took. She never wanted to see nor speak to Craig again. No matter what, he would always be the monster who killed her little sister.

_Troy._ His name entered her mind and pushed aside all other thoughts. She wanted nothing more than for him to comfort her, for he was the only one who fully understood her. He could help her in ways no one else could....

With trembling fingers, she dialed his number, praying that he would answer his phone. "Please answer," she whispered, her eyes closed as she tried her best to keep from bursting into sobs once more. Finally, she heard his voice, but before she could get her hopes up, she realized it was only a recording. "Sorry I couldn't get to the phone right now. Just leave a message and I'll get back to you A.S.A.P.."

"T-Troy, it's me," she started. "I-I really need you right now. I-I just got a call from my d-dad....I'm so scared, Troy. P-please, call me back."

Ending the call, Gabriella tossed her phone aside and allowed the sobs to escape her lips. As weak as she felt, the sobs were growing stronger and uncontrollable, causing her entire body to shake. Never before had she felt so alone. She hadn't felt so broken before, not since her sister died. After she had moved to Albuquerque, she had done so well at keeping herself composed and together...Hearing his voice only opened old wounds that didn't properly heal, wounds that couldn't be patched by a bandage. The only one whom she thought could heal them wasn't there. She was completely and undeniably _alone_.


	4. Never Leave You

AN: Just a fair warning for readers of this story and my other in-progress ones. I'm in stage crew. The spring musical is 2 weeks away. Therefore, all of the cast and crew will pretty much be moving into the school for the next 2 weeks because that's how crazy our schedule is. During this time, do not expect any updates and probably not for a week or so after that because it will take me that long to get caught up on schoolwork and such. Once the musical is over I should be able to update more often, though, so just bare with me the next few weeks. And as always, thanks for reading & reviewing!

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

* * *

Stepping out of Chad's Chevy, Troy looked up into the bright Albuquerque sun as it glimmered against the chrome hood. Exhaling in relief, he spoke as Chad started for the front door, "Congrats, man. There were no casualties this time."

"I never killed anyone," he denied

"No, but if I remember correctly, that bird in the middle of the road matches the bit of guts and blood you were cleaning off yesterday," he reminded him, smirking.

"That _bird_ hit _me_," he defended. "It was an obvious suicide. It's not my fault."

Chuckling, he stated, "Oh, sure. Like the bird even knew the meaning of the word."

"Hey, give animals some credit," he argued.

"Yeah, I should. There are some species smarter than you," he told him smugly as he followed Chad through the door. It never ceased to amaze him just how clean the Danforth home was compared to his former house. Mrs. Danforth was a clean-freak who seemed to do nothing but clean from the time she got home. Usually, Troy recalled doing all of the cleaning when Lucille forced him. It was difficult to adjust to not having to take care of everything himself, although he still tended to volunteer to help out, more often than Chad did. He felt it was the least he could do for them after everything they've done to help him.

"You are so going to pay for that," Chad muttered, snapping him from his thoughts. Glancing around, he found Chad, as predicted, in the kitchen.

"Oh, I know," he replied, taking several steps across the tan-colored carpet and into the kitchen doorway, only a small divide between the white wall, room enough for only one person. As Chad pulled out a bottle of water, he asked, "Yo, dude, throw me one, will you?"

Hurling a bottle quickly in his direction, Chad asked, "So, are you going to see Gabriella tonight?"

"I'll call her tonight. There's no use in flirting with temptation," he replied. "Since _someone_ got me banned from kissing her...."

"Hey, she's the one who banned you, not my fault," he denied, although the way his lips curled into a devious smile stated otherwise. "Besides, I'm sure she'll lift it, anyway."

"Yeah, in my dreams," he retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, there's nothing better to do to take your mind off of her than a nice friendly game of one-on-one," he claimed, tossing Troy a basketball that nearly hit him in the he caught the ball, Chad noticed the look in his eyes that reminded him of why Troy was the captain. Giving him a look of nothing but sheer determination, Troy stated, "You're on."

* * *

Unlocking the front door, Rachel stepped inside her home, surprised to ind all of the lights turned off as though no one was home. She knew that Gabriella was home, judging by her car in the driveway. Quiet sound could be heard coming from upstairs. Her heart fell slightly as she drew closer, knowing that this was not typical sound. Gabriella was crying.

Without knocking, Rachel opened the door to discover her niece curled in a ball on her bed. Upon hearing the creak of the door, her head snapped up and she looked at her aunt through wide, blood-shot eyes. Her crying was reduced to a few sniffles as she looked away.

"Gabriella," Rachel pleaded, placing her slender hands on her niece's shoulders. "Honey, what's wrong?"

Saying nothing, Gabriella stared blankly at wooden wall before her, refusing to show anymore emotions. Her aunt was not the one that she wanted to discuss this with, at least not in that moment. After half an hour of letting her emotions escape, she didn't want to break down again, at least not until the right person was present.

"Did you and Troy have an argument?" Rachel pressed. Finally, she responded, but only by turning her head from side-to-side once.

"Just tell me what happened," she pleaded. "I'm your aunt and your guardian. I love you, and I'm here to help you no matter what."

Sighing, Gabriella pressed her knees firmly to her chest, wanting nothing more than to disappear. A small tear dripped from her eye and to the sheet beneath her. She wouldn't start crying again, not over _him_. Certainly, she wouldn't burden her aunt with the news of his call, either.

After what felt like several minutes, Rachel withdrew her hands and Gabriella felt alone once more, although she was relieved. This meant that she was giving up. However, before she could get her hopes up, Rachel spoke, "If you don't want to talk to me that's fine. I'll just call the one person who I know can _make_ you talk."Gabriella didn't reply, feeling confident in knowing that Troy wouldn't answer or else he would've returned her call. When Rachel left, she sprawled out on her bed and closed her eyes, praying that she would fall asleep and realize this was all just a dream....

* * *

"Cheater," Chad mumbled as he grabbed his water bottle from the ground. Both teens were dripping with sweat, for they had played one game lasting over an hour after not getting home until four. The game had been interrupted several times, however.

"I do not cheat," Troy denied, taking a sip from his own as he reached for one of the white towels they had brought outside. "I just always win."

"Therefore, you do cheat," Chad remarked.

"Do not," he argued as he attempted to get some of the moisture from his hair, Chad doing the same.

"I have proof," Chad claimed.

"What proof?" he questioned.

"You'll never know," he replied secretively, smirking.

"Meaning you don't know, either," Troy stated, grabbing his phone which was laying on the grass. It was flashing, indicating that he had a missed call. "Huh, two missed calls....I wonder who would be calling me?" he pondered.

"Gabriella must need a kiss," Chad taunted.

"Well, it is her...once," he replied, ignoring his friend's comments. Creasing his forehead in confusion, he continued, "The other is from her aunt. That's weird."

"Did they leave messages?" Chad asked him.

"Gabriella did," he answered, pressing "play" as her voice filled the air. "Troy, it's me...I really need you right now. I-I just got a call from my dad....I'm so scared, Troy. Please, call me back."

"Woah," Chad breathed, looking at Troy in shock. He was even more surprised when Troy threw his phone to the ground, his hands clenched tightly into fists. Everyone who knew Troy knew how protective he was of Gabriella, but it had been while since he had seen him this outraged.

"I'll kill him!" Troy shouted. "I swear to God if he ever talks to her again, I'll--"

"Dude, relax a little bit," he interrupted him. "You'll do her no good getting angry like this. If she saw you right now, you would probably scare her away."

Reluctantly, Troy relaxed his stance and stuffed his hands in his pockets, staring idly at the ground. "I'm such an idiot. I had it on silent. I should've answered. I should be over there right now..."

"Go now," he suggested. "It's not too late. I'll tell my parents. It's not a problem."

Nodding, he replied, "Thanks, man. I don't know how long I'll be, but I'm sure it'll be at least a few hours."

"Just don't do anything I wouldn't do," Chad instructed, smirking, earning himself a playful shove from Troy.

"I'm gone," he finished, sprinting from from the backyard.

"Dude, wait a sec." Turning around, Troy watched as a set of keys flew through the air, landing in his awaiting hands. "No wrecks, you hear?"

Laughing, Troy replied, "No promises."

Starting the car, Troy's hands gripped the steering wheel abnormally tight. Focusing was becoming increasingly difficult, for all he could think about was what Gabriella may have left out of her message. Was her father out of prison or still there? Either way, how did he know where to find her? What could he have said that made her so upset?

The last question, he realized, was stupid. Just the sound of his voice was enough to make her cry, he knew.

Wrapped up in thought, he almost bypassed his destination. Turning sharply into the driveway, he parked Chad's car next to Mike's truck and hastily got out. Knocking on the door, he waited anxiously for an answer. Rachel opened it. "Oh, Troy, I'm glad you came," she greeted, sighing in relief.

"How is she?" he asked her, skipping the small-talk.

"A wreck," she answered. "She really needs you right now. You're the only one who at least partially understands what she's going through."

Nodding, he replied, "I'll do my best to comfort her." Stepping out of the way, she allowed him to pass as he ran upstairs to her room. Without knocking, he entered, finding Gabriella sitting on her bed, her head in her knees, covering her face.

"Brie," he whispered, his voice as soft and soothing as he could make it. Though the crease between her knees, he saw her looking at him. "Gabriella, I'm sorry I didn't come earlier, but I came as soon as I got your message."

"H-he called," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

"What did he tell you?" he asked, wrapping one arm around her back while the other attempted to relax her legs.

"H-he said he was sorry and that he loves me..." she stated, finally giving in to his embrace. "H-how can he love me, w-when all he's done is cause me pain and suffering? T-Troy, he almost killed me on numerous occasions...A-and h-he killed her...He killed Allie...."

Stroking her hair as she started to cry, he gently pecked her forehead before speaking, "Brie, it'll be okay. You'll never have to speak to him or see him again. What he did to you and Alexis was horrible...I swear I'll never let him near you."

"H-he acts like sorry will fix everything, but mama is still missing and Allie is still dead," she told him, sniffling as she rested her head on his shoulder. Troy remained silent as he held her, pressing his chin into her hair while he listening, "I never want to see him again, but what if, after he gets out, he comes back for me?" she asked.

Finally, Troy broke his silence, "I will do whatever it takes to keep him away from you, even if that means running away and fleeing the country with you. I promise, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

"Just...please, don't leave me. That's all I ask," she pleaded, her grip on his shirt tightening. "I-I don't know where I'd be without you.""

"I'll never leave you," he assured her. "You never abandoned me. No matter what happens, I'll never leave you as long as you still want me."

"I'll always want you," she replied, closing her eyes as he continued rubbing her back. Finally, she was relaxed. She was unsure of how long she spent crying, but she knew hours had passed since her aunt came home. Time didn't matter, however, not when she was with Troy.

"H-how long can you stay tonight?" she asked him.

"How long do you want me?" he questioned.

"Forever," she replied, kissing his cheek. "Or, tonight, if forever is too much to ask for..."

Chuckling, he stated, "I doubt your uncle would be happy with me if I spent the night here."

"I'm seventeen, I think I deserve some credit," she pouted.

"And I'm eighteen, and apparently eighteen-year-old boys only have one thing on their minds," he told her and winked, causing her to blush slightly.

"Well, you're staying as long as possible," she claimed. "I'm going to go get cleaned up, seeing as I'm sure I look like a mess."

"A _hot_ mess," he corrected, smirking as his grip tightened. "I can't let you go yet. Not till you lift a certain ban."

Rolling her eyes playfully, Gabriella puckered her lips and patiently waited for his. For an instant, he pecked her lips and pulled back slightly, teasing her, before capturing them fully. His hands, which rested on her back, started creeping under her shirt, but she didn't protest. They rested just below the clasp of her bra, but she knew this touch wasn't meant to be taken in a sexual way. Anytime she became emotional or upset, he would simply slide his hands under her shirt and rub the bare skin of her back. She found this to be the greatest comfort of all, for his touch, so gentle and warm, reminded her that she was loved.

"Feel better now?" he asked once their lips broke contact.

"I do," she murmured, resting her head against his chest as his hands continued trailing her back, make her spine tingle and the hairs on the back of her neck raise. She wondered if he knew what he did to her, the impact his mere presence always had on her. "You have no idea...how good this feels. Not just your hands, although they're awfully nice, but just knowing that you won't leave me, that someone will always be there to fight for me and keep me safe or at least sane...It's almost overwhelming."

"I think I have a pretty good idea," he stated, pecking her forehead. "If not for you, I never would've escaped. In fact, if not for you, I would've killed myself."

"Please...don't remind me," she told him, her hold tightening slightly. "I don't like thinking about me never seeing you again, or me never getting to feel your touch or hear the sound of your voice..."

"I'll never do something like that again," he assured her. "I have no reason to."

"Still," she started, gently placing her hand under his shirt and lightly stroking the area just below his navel above his belt. Closing his eyes, he smiled as she continued, "Even when you think you have a reason to, don't."

"I promise," he vowed. Looking him in the eyes, she knew that he was telling her the truth. She felt it in her heart that he would never go back on his word. "As long as you're in my life, I'll always have a reason to live."

"With or without me, you have a reason to live," she corrected. "Troy, if there comes a time that we're...not together, you can't just end it all."

"I know that, but I never want to be away from you," he stated, gently stroking her cheek. "I just...don't know what I would do if I lost you..."

"Continue to live your life to the fullest," she answered for him.

"You talk as though it will happen," he told her.

"I don't want it to happen, but, Troy, I don't know what's going to happen," she started. "No one knows what the future holds."

"I know what your future holds," he told her, smirking slightly. He hated discussing the possibility of being away from her, and so he needed to change the subject. "A peaceful night's sleep and dreams about me."

"Oh please. You act like I'm obsessed with you," she said, rolling her eyes.

"If dreams meant obsession then I was obsessed with you before I met you," he revealed, winking.

"Oh, I know you're obsessed," she teased. "Anyway, I need to get ready for bed. You. Stay," she demanded, wriggling out of his grasp.

"Yes, ma'am," he stated, watching her as she grabbed her nightgown and strolled out of the room.

In the bathroom, Gabriella immediately splashed her face with water, attempting to keep sleep from instantly overcoming her. She then took a wet rag over her face, focusing primarily around her eyes. Looking into the mirror, she cringed at her own reflection, for she still looked horrible. Her eyes were completely red and swollen and her hair was a mess. Hastily, she looked away and instead focused on getting dressed.

Removing her top, Gabriella glanced at her stomach and winced at the amount of scars which seemed more prominent than usual tonight, possibly because she was looking for them. There were plenty more located on her arms, back, legs, and a few less noticeable ones on her face. All of them came at the hands of the same man, the same man who now claimed to love her. It made no sense, she thought. Troy also claimed to love her, along with Rachel...Rachel never physically hurt her, and Troy had only ever hurt her on one occasion, but that had been an accident. What Craig did was no accident. It was no accident when the same things happened repeatedly for several years.

Finishing up, Gabriella looked one more time at the mirror and sighed, for she didn't look much better than before. However, she was okay with that. Troy wasn't a shallow pig, after all. He loved her for everything she was. That was true love, not whatever Craig thought love was.

When she walked back into her room, Gabriella found Troy on the edge of her bed, lying down with his eyes closed, but she knew he was awake. Upon hearing her footsteps, he looked up at her and smiled. "Thank God," he started. "I was getting lonely."

"Scoot so I can lie down," she directed.

"Aw, but where's the fun in that?" he asked innocently, although his eyes glinted with amusement. "I was looking forward to you climbing over me."

"Of course you were," she replied, rolling her eyes. "You are such a pervert."

"No, I'm a guy," he corrected, kicking his feet out for her to get to the other side.

"And if I fall asleep, no taking advantage of me," she warned as his hands wound around her stomach once she was beside him.

"I would never dream of it," he stated, kissing her cheek. "You really should get some sleep."

"Will you still be here when I wake up?" she questioned.

"I'll stay until someone kicks me out. Deal?" he compromised.

"I guess that's good enough," she told him, snuggling deeper into his chest. "You're so strong yet so soft...How is that possible?"

Chuckling, he spoke, "I guess I'm just a human body pillow."

"I might not let you leave," she replied. "You're too comfy."

"If you hold me any tighter I might not be able to go," he replied.

"Good," she smiled, closing her eyes as she sighed. "I love you, Troy."

"I love you, too," he whispered, kissing her forehead as the same tremors shot down his spine as they did whenever she told him that she loved him. He would never understand how this angel in his arms had come to love someone like him, but he was forever thankful, for her love saved him.

It didn't take long for Gabriella to fall asleep. Arms still encircling her waist, he watched her, mesmerized. Never before had he thought that watching someone sleep would be so interesting, but everything about her intrigued him. She was a beautiful sight, and he wanted nothing more than to keep the sweet smile and calm expression on her face. She looked completely at peace.

The door opened abruptly and Rachel stood in the doorway. At first, he was alarmed, but upon seeing the neutral look on her face he relaxed.

"I was about to leave," he stated. "I'm just hesitant about waking her."

"I see you finally got her calmed down," she observed. "Just slide out from under her slowly and she shouldn't wake up."

Nodding, he slowly slid out from under her, causing her to frown in dismay from the sudden lack of contact. Chuckling, he kissed her forehead and followed Rachel out of the room.

"So, what had her so upset?" she asked him once they were downstairs.

"She's freaked out that her dad will come back," he explained. "He called her when she got home. Hearing his voice only opened old wounds."

Nodding, she smiled slightly. "Thank you for coming over and helping her through this. I can't think of anyone better for her to be with."

"It's no problem," he replied, his face growing warmer.

"She needs someone like you, after what her father did to her....It's a wonder she could learn to trust a man again as fast as she did," Rachel stated, looking at him sincerely. "But, Troy, she's in very deep...I don't know what it would do to her if you ever break her heart..."

"I'll never break her heart," he vowed. "Of that you can be certain."

"I trust you're telling the truth," she replied.

"I should...probably get going," he stated, feeling uncomfortable about being held in the spotlight. "If she wakes up and needs me or something, don't hesitate to call me," he continued, reaching for the door.

"I won't," she assured him, smiling gratefully. "And, Troy, thanks again."


	5. Dream

AN: I recognize that it's been a while since I last updated and I'm terribly sorry for that. It would've been up sooner had my laptop charger not stopped working and then I managed to break my flashdrive which was the only thing that held this entire chapter. However, it turned out to be over 4,000 words long and over seven pages so hopefully the length will make up for it, and thank you all for sticking with me :)

Disclaimer: HSM is not mine.

* * *

_Opening her eyes, Gabriella was surprised that the sun wasn't blinding her vision. However, her room was still almost pitch black, meaning that the sun hadn't risen yet._

_As she became aware of her surroundings, she felt a pair of strong arms around her, holding her tightly against another body. Smiling, she knew these arms anywhere. They were her source of strength and comfort, and they belonged to the one that she loved most._

_Confusion soon overcame her other thoughts. What was Troy doing there? He should've left hours ago, she realized. How did he manage to stay the night? Shouldn't Mike and Rachel have kicked him out hours ago?_

_Alas, she was grateful that he was there. His mere presence was enough to complete her. Slowly, she pulled the blanket away that covered his face. He looked more like an angel now than ever before. Unable to resist the urge, she leaned over and kissed his cheek, thus stirring him from his slumber. He didn't appear disoriented in the slightest, but more like someone who hadn't actually been sleeping. It was his expression that alarmed her, however. His deep blue eyes were unreadable. He didn't look at her with the love and adoration his eyes typically conveyed when he looked at her. Instead, his expression was chilling. He seemed to be looking straight through her as though she wasn't there._

_Suddenly, Gabriella's gaze fell on the opposing wall where she saw, not two, but five shadows. Confused, she shook it off and instead focused on Troy once more, attempting to get his attention. Gently, she placed her hand on his shoulder, attempting to get him to focus on her. However, instead, his expression harden as he smacked her hand away. Withdrawing instantly, she felt hot tears gathering in her eyes as he looked down on her with more hatred and contempt than she had ever seen. His lips were moving but she heard no sound, although she felt it. He was yelling at her, judging by his stance. She, too, tried to speak, to apologize for whatever had set him off, but he only seemed that much angrier. Three of the shadows seemed to be getting larger while the other two only moved with their bodies. A pang of fear swept through her as Troy started to get out of the bed. In silent pleas, she begged him to stay, but he was gone, leaving her with three unknown shadows, growing by the second._

_Gabriella tried to run from the room but the door slammed shut on its own. She tried to open it but it didn't work. She tried to scream for help, but still there was only silence. The shadows were engulfing the room...._

Gabriella jolted upright on her bed, gasping for air. Sweat dripped down her face and onto her pillow, mixing with a few tears that had escaped. A dream. Everything was a dream.

Relief swept through her body like a riptide, taking her almost to a state of ecstasy. Of course it was a dream, she thought. Shadows can't just take over a room. She wasn't living in some paranormal fiction novel or a thriller movie. If that weren't enough, she felt confident in knowing that Troy would never abandon her.

"Gabriella!" Rachel cried, rushing into her room. "I heard you scream. Is everything all right?"

Nodding, she said, "I'm sorry. I just had a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it, or are you saving it for Troy?" she asked, sitting next to her.

"I'd rather tell you than him right now," she said. "I dreamed that I was asleep but then I woke up and he was lying next to me. I kissed his cheek and he woke up. His expression was unreadable. I saw three shadows on the wall that didn't belong to us. I touched his shoulder and everything went bad. He smacked my hand away and he started yelling, but I couldn't hear him. He has never looked at me with such hatred. I didn't know that he was capable of it. Then, he left, and the unidentifiable shadows engulfed the room. That was when I woke up."

Rachel's brow creased as though she was thinking. "That is pretty odd."

"What do you think it means?" Gabriella asked her. ""Does it mean that Troy is going to leave me when I need him the most?"

"Dreams don't always come true," Rachel assured her. "Just because you have a dream where he leaves you doesn't mean that he will. He loves you a lot. Even last night, he told me on his way out that if you woke up needing him not to hesitate to call him. I doubt at this point that anything you do will change that."

"I could really use him right now," she stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You can always call him," she suggested.

"I guess so," she agreed as Rachel handed her her phone from the nightstand on her way out of the room. The phone rang several times before she finally heard him answer.

"You just couldn't wait to see me, could you?" he teased.

"I just needed to hear your voice," she replied, not in the mood for joking around. "I...had a bad dream last night. More like a nightmare, and you were in it."

Through the phone, Gabriella felt the tension vibes he was giving. "Brie, please don't tell me that I was the reason...."

Sighing, she replied, "Let's talk about this later. Free period, perhaps?"

"I'll be there," he replied.

"I, um, should get ready for school," she stated, suddenly nervous. "I'll see you when I get there, right?"

"Just like every other morning," he replied. "And, remember, no matter what you saw in that dream, I will _never_ hurt you again."

"I know," she said, although her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. "Troy, you have no idea just how much that means to me and how much I rely on that promise."

Troy grew silent, but Gabriella didn't find it awkward or uncomfortable. She knew that it was sometimes difficult for him to find the words to say whenever she mentioned the value of his words. She knew that he didn't like to think about how much he could let her down, although she knew that he wouldn't. Times like these, she was reminded just how greatly his parents had altered his mindset. He still felt as though he could do no right, and she wanted nothing more than to change that.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, "I'll...um, let you get ready. I'll see you in an hour or so."

"Okay," she agreed. "See you then."

Ending the call, Gabriella breathed a sigh of relief. His voice was all that she needed to get through her morning until she saw him. It was odd, she thought. She was so used to relying solely on herself an her own capabilities. Yet, whenever Troy entered her life, she found it easy to fall apart and allow him to piece her back together. Never once did he call her weak, and he always reminded her of how strong she was. However, _he _was the source of her strength now, and if he wasn't there she didn't know what she would do.

"Well, how did it go?" Startled, Gabriella looked at her aunt who stood in the doorway, smiling warmly.

"I feel better now," she stated.

"I knew that you would," she replied. "I told you that no part of that dream would ever happen."

"I really want to believe that," she said. "I never....It would kill me if he ever looked at me the way he did in the dream."

"I don't think that will happen," Rachel argued. "Gabriella, I see the way that he looks at you I've never seen any boy or man so infatuated with a girl. He completely adores you."

Blushing slightly, Gabriella rummaged through her drawers, averting her eyes from meeting her aunt's.

"I guess I'll let you get ready," she started, taking a step out of the room. "I'll have breakfast ready for you when you come down."

"Thanks," she replied as Rachel shut the door behind her.

Walking into East High, Gabriella took a deep breath then exhaled slowly, taking in the musty scent. Closing her eyes, she mentally prepared for what the day that lied ahead of her. Eventually, she would have to face Troy and tell him about the dream. That was a given. Should she tell anyone else, however?

A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. At first, she froze stiff with fear, but she soon relaxed upon feeling his warm breath upon her neck. She felt his nose gently scale the side of her neck, sending delightful shivers up her spine.

"Good morning, beautiful,"he greeted, finally pulling away so she could look at him. "I don't think I can wait to hear about your dream. Can't you tell me now?"

"Troy, I would rather tell you when we're alone than in the middle of a crowded hallway," she claimed.

Nodding in understanding, he gently tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "For you, I guess I can wait," he stated. "Whatever it was, though, don't stress about it. If I was the cause of the nightmare, you know that I could never let it happen because I love you too much to ever hurt you."

"Not even leave me?" she questioned.

"Brie," he started. "I owe you my life. I could never leave unless it was what you wanted."

"I don't want you to," she replied, clutching his hand in his. "Ever."

"Then, I guess you're stuck with me until the end of time," he stated, entwining their fingers as he gripped her hand with equal strength. "Is that what happened in your dream? I left you?"

Reluctantly, she nodded. "That was part of it," she answered.

Before Troy could reply, the warning bell rang. "We should go," she suggested. "We'll discuss it later."

"By the way," he started as they headed toward Ms. Darbus's room. "Are you available after school?"

"Yeah, why?" she asked curiously.

"Because I'm having a vision of you and me eating ice cream at the best place in Albuquerque," he replied. "It's my treat."

"I would love to," she told him as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek before they walked into the room.

"Yo, Troy," Chad called from his desk where several others from the team surrounded him. "These guys don't believe me! I know what I saw and it was totally big foot!"

Rolling his eyes, Troy looked down at Gabriella who stifled a laugh. "I'll see you during free period," he murmured, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before they parted ways. Heading reluctantly toward the group, he spoke, "Chad, the only _big foot_ I saw was the one dangling off the side of your bed this morning."

"_Burn_!" Zeke commented, giving Troy a high-five.

"Ha ha," Chad chided sarcastically. "Fine, don't believe me, but don't say I didn't warn you."

That day, Gabriella skipped lunch. She didn't tell anyone where she would be, although she knew that Troy would know regardless. She was on the roof, in the place he often came when he needed to think or just be alone. She had done so as well, usually on days she knew he wouldn't be there. Then, there were the days that they came there together for privacy. That seemed to be happening more and more often.

It had been a while since she had been there alone. Sometimes, loneliness was a comfort, but other times, such as today, it was eerie. She didn't have a clock, and so she had no idea how long she had been sitting on the bench. Her only reliance was when the bell finally rang.

Two minutes. That was approximately how much longer she had until Troy joined her. A wave of pleasure washed through her body just thinking about him kissing her....However, she was soon brought back to reality when she remembered what it was she promised to discuss with him. It wasn't something she was prepared for. No amount of time could ever ease her nerves on this subject.

Abruptly, the door creaked open and she watched as he moved swiftly up the stairs. In a matter of seconds, he was approaching her.

"Okay, we're alone. Now, will you please tell me?" he pleaded.

Nodding, she stood up, feeling more at ease. However, she found it difficult to look at him, and so she walked to the railing, grasping the cold metal in her hands. "I dreamed that I was sleeping," she started, hearing his footsteps drawing closer. She was surprised to sense a few feet of distance between their bodies. She expected him to be as close to her as possible. Nonetheless, she was grateful for the space. "Then, I woke up and you were lying next to me. I kissed you and you woke up. There was a vacancy in your eyes and you looked right through me. I touched your arm and you became angrier than I've ever seen you before. You yelled at me and I started crying. Then, you left and there were these unidentifiable shadows lurking and getting larger. I tried to run but the door locked. The shadows took over the room and that was when I woke up."

There was a long pause where neither spoke. Gabriella felt the tension in the air surrounding her; _frightening_ her. Finally, she turned to him but what she saw made her heart sink lower in her chest. He was avoiding eye contact.

"Troy?" she started, his name coming out like a question. "Troy, I know that you can hear me. Please, just look at me."

Suddenly, Troy's eyes locked with hers as he spoke, his voice clear and firm. "I can't believe that you thought that any of that would ever happen."

Crossing her arms over her chest tentatively, she replied, "I'm sorry for doubting you, but I don't know what the future has in store. I want to believe that you'll never leave me, but I can't be too sure."

Resting his hands on her hips, he gently pulled her closer to him and held her. "Gabriella, if you were ever in danger I would be right there ready to defend you no matter what. I could never turn my back on you. I love you too much. I'm too far gone."

Closing her eyes, Gabriella felt him pulling her closer, for soon her face came into full contact with his chest. Breathing in his familiar scent, she smiled in content. The words "I love you too much" echoed inside her mind. Never would he leave her, and never would he turn his back on her.

"I love you, Wildcat," she murmured, satisfied to feel his heart beat accelerate as she nestled her head into his chest. "You always know what to say to comfort me. Not a single person on this earth can do that. You're the only one who can say that everything will be okay and I actually believe it. Everything is and will be okay as long as I have you by my side."

Placing a delicate kiss on her lips, Troy silently assured her that everything would be okay. This was a time when words weren't needed and actions spoke louder. After a long minute he led her back to the bench and sat down. Then, he decided to speak, "What do you think the shadows mean?"

Gabriella wasn't sure what to say in response to his question. _What did the shadows mean?_ She never stopped to think about them for she was too caught up in worrying over the Troy-part of the dream. Did the shadows represent people? If so, who were they? Were they people she had yet to meet and that was why they never revealed themselves? Did they even mean anything at all?

"Brie," Troy started, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, sorry, what did you say?" she asked, looking back at him.

"I just asked if you recognized the shadows. Did they belong to anyone in particular?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," she replied. "I do know that there were three of them."

Looking thoughtful, he said, "Maybe your house is haunted."

"I doubt that," she retorted.

"I'll protect you from the ghosts," he offered, smirking. "Ghosts are like kids. Too much PDA will scare them away."

"So, you're saying that if we make out in my room they'll stay away?" she questioned skeptically.

"Would you like for me to show you how it works?" he suggested.

"If you want to," she answered, smiling as he leaned forward to kiss her. The kiss deepened as he pressed her back against the bench, lying down. He was on top of her, trapping her hips with his knees.

"I think I got it now," she said once he had pulled away. They were in a compromising position, she soon realized. She was still lying beneath him, his hands on her hips, his fingers slightly under the hem of her shirt. Her heart beat erotically inside her chest, feeling as though it would soon break away from her body. His eyes locked with hers. Those eyes, holding more tranquility and sincerity than she'd ever seen, but they were looking directly at her now, and she saw her reflection.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured, kissing her cheek. Closing her eyes, she relished in the feeling momentarily. When he said she was beautiful, she found it increasingly easier to believe. After all, he did claim to love her. There had to be a reason.

"And you are a flirt," she teased as he stood up and helped her back into a sitting position.

"But at least I'm honest," he defended, sitting down next to her again.

"I'm glad," she replied just as the bell rang. Groaning, she stood up, bringing him back up with her. "I guess I'll see you later?" she assumed.

"Absolutely," he answered, stealing one last kiss. "Energy boost," he explained, smirking.

"Just meet me at my car after school," she said, tugging on his hand. "Now, we have to go to class."

After school, Gabriella waited patiently inside her car for Troy. Tapping her fingers against the steering wheel, she watched the front door. When she finally saw him come out, she smiled to see him with a few guys from the team, messing around like typical guys.

As she was about to start the car, she heard her cell phone ring. Pulling it out of her purse, she flipped it open to find that it was Rachel. This confused her, for her aunt was supposed to be at work. Nonetheless, she answered. "Aunt Rachel," she greeted. "Did you need something?"

"Gabriella, where are you?" she asked her.

"I'm about to go get ice cream with Troy. Why?" she answered, her forehead scrunched in confusion.

"I need you to come straight home," she replied. "You have a visitor."

"Who?" she asked, taken aback by her announcement.

"Can you please just come home now? Just tell Troy that it's not a good time," she said.

Sighing, she gave in. "Fine. Just let me drop him off first since Chad already left."

"That's fine," she agreed. "I'll see you in a few, then."

Shutting her phone off, Gabriella turned to find Troy already in the passenger's seat, watching her curiously. "So, I guess we're not going for ice cream?" he assumed.

Shaking her head, she said, "Aunt Rachel wants me home. She said I have a visitor. I don't know who that would be."

"It's okay," he assured her. "We'll just go tomorrow. No big deal."

"I'll still take you home first," she told him.

"Actually, take me back to your place," he suggested. "I feel like walking and it's not far. It's only a roughly twenty minute walk, and it would give me a few more minutes with you."

"I wonder who the visitor is," she stated as she started the car.

"As long as it's not your dad you should be fine," he assured her. "But, I doubt if it was him he would have the nerve to come here. At least, he better not."

"I don't know who it could be," she replied. "It couldn't be him. He's in prison."

"I'm sure it's no one to be overly concerned about," he stated.

"Maybe you're right," she agreed.

"Do you want me to stay there for a while until you know who it is?" he suggested.

"That would be nice," she replied.

The conversation began to dwindle as she drove, but it didn't bother them much. Looking out the window, Troy leisurely slipped his hand onto her knee, being careful to not distract her too much. Upon feeling her tense, he gave her a gentle squeeze, causing her to giggle. Grinning, he looked back at her and found her blushing.

"Do you want me to wreck?" she questioned, unable to fight her smile.

"No," he denied. "I just enjoy watching you squirm and trying to resist my touch, but you know you can't."

Poking her tongue out at him, she retorted, "Just for that, maybe you need another day without my kisses..."

"Oh no, not that!" he pleaded, withdrawing his hand immediately. "Please not that."

Giggling, she said, "I so have you wrapped around my finger."

"I honestly wouldn't have it any other way," he told her as she pulled into the driveway. Once they got out of the car, Troy took her hand in his as they walked to the doorway. A black mustang was parked next to hers, one that she didn't recognize as belonging to anyone she knew. Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, he stopped in the doorway and looked at her. "Do you have any clue who is in there yet?" he asked.

"No idea," she replied, although she felt an uncomfortable tightening of her muscles as she stared at the mustang.

Sensing her unease, Troy carefully leaned forward to kiss her but just as their lips met the door came open. Startled, Gabriella looked at Rachel who stood in the doorway, looking as nervous as Gabriella felt.

"Aunt Rachel, who's here?" Gabriella asked.

Sighing, Rachel stepped from the doorway, revealing two people sitting on the couch, staring at them. A woman looking nearly identical to Rachel and simultaneously much like Gabriella sat closest to the door, a man looking a few years younger than her was beside her.

Troy watched as tears welled up in Gabriella's eyes, and he instinctively caught them with his finger before they could fall. He looked back at the strangers and soon realized what had Gabriella so upset. When she finally spoke, his suspicions were confirmed. "M-mom?"


	6. Unexpected Visitors

AN: Finally, I give you the next chapter. Technical difficulties prevented me from posting this sooner, but it's okay now because I got a new laptop, so I'm hoping the updates will become a little more frequent. Anyway, thanks for reviewing and here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: HSM is not mine.

* * *

Pulling away from Troy's grasp, Gabriella blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. After all the years she spent praying that her mother would save her from her father, there she was, but she no longer needed her protection. In fact, she often wondered if she still needed her at all.

"You've grown so much…" Maria mussed, standing up from her seat on the couch. Gabriella tensed as she drew closer, and her defenses only increased when she reached out to hug her.

"Don't touch me," she warned. Looking over at Troy, she noticed the worry and confusion etched over his face. She knew she would feel more comfortable having him by her side, but she knew it was in their best interest if he left. She had no idea what was to come, and she didn't want him around if all hell broke lose, as she feared it would. "Troy, you can go. I'll be fine," she whispered to him, momentarily taking his hands in hers.

"Are you sure?" he asked her, his worry just as evident in his voice as it was on his face.

"I'm sure," she replied. "Are you okay with walking home?"

Nodding, he gave her an encouraging smile as he gently pecked her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow," he vowed as he opened the door. She watched him until she heard the door close, and then she turned back to the problem at hand, her mother.

"Why are you here?" she asked, her voice sounding more edgy than she initially wanted.

"Because I wanted to see my daughter whom I haven't seen in nearly six years. Is that so wrong?" she stated.

"Where were you?" Gabriella snapped, her temper flaring. "Where were you when I needed you? When Alexis needed you? Where were you?"

"Gabi-"

"Don't call me that!" she yelled, not caring about raising her voice in front of this woman whom she once called "mom". "You lost the right to call me that when you walked out on us!"

Sighing, Maria reached out and took her hands in hers, much like how she had done to Troy moments before only her grip was much firmer. It made Gabriella flinch, but she couldn't pull away. "I know I shouldn't have left you two with him, but I had no choice. I couldn't take you with me. Having Alexis along would've slowed us down, and I knew I couldn't leave her alone with him so I had to leave you behind as well. If not for her, you would've come with me."

Yanking her hands away, Gabriella glared at her venomously. "If _not _for Alexis? What, was she some kind of _burden_ to you? Do you feel any remorse at all that she's gone?"

"Gabriella, that's not what I meant," she denied.

"Oh yeah? Then, what did you mean?" she questioned. "You said you would come back for us."

"I'm here now," Maria stated.

"But you are way too late," she replied, shaking her head. "You know, you should be locked up alongside _him_ because you're just as responsible as he is for Alexis' death."

The satisfaction she felt soon diminished when she noticed the tears in her mother's eyes. She thought it would feel good to finally get all of her pent-up frustrations out on the one who caused her so much anguish, but it didn't feel nearly as good when she realized she was causing her mother pain. Although, she had caused her immaculate pain over the years; maybe she only felt bad because she had a conscience.

"I know it was my fault," she started. "Do you think that a day goes by that I haven't thought about you two? That I didn't feel regret for what I did? Do you think that I don't think about her and start crying? Do you think that I never missed you at all?"

"Why didn't you get us like you said you would?" she questioned.

"There is something your father never told you," Maria stated. "I did come back for you, but he caught me. He said he would kill you both if I didn't leave immediately, and so I left again. In the end, I managed to save one of my daughters' lives. I would rather have one alive than both dead."

"I want to believe you," Gabriella claimed. "But, I can't."

"I know you're confused, but I didn't return just to see you," she stated. "I want to make everything up to you, which is why I'm asking if you will come live with me and Matt, my fiancé." Maria gestured to where a tall, muscular man sat on the seat next to where she was initially sitting. "In California."

Wide-eyed, she turned her attention to Rachel who stood against the opposing wall, watching the two. She gave Gabriella an encouraging smile. An image flashed through her mind. Troy. How could she leave him behind? She loved him, and she refused to leave him for a woman who left her. "I-I can't take that offer right now," she finally answered.

"I thought you would say that," she agreed. "Which is why I'll be staying in an apartment not too far from here for a couple of months. I'll be here nearly everyday to see you. During that time, you can make a final decision."

"I won't be leaving with you," she stated confidently. "For once, I have a semi-normal life. I have friends now, and I don't want to leave. I love my life here."

"The boy that just left, he's your reason, isn't he?" Gabriella tensed slightly, although she realized she should've expected her mother to know after the little display of affection before he left.

"Part of the reason," she admitted.

"There's plenty of young men out there for you. Don't let one control your every decision," Maria advised.

"He doesn't control my every decision," she claimed, feeling her earlier anger return. "I just refuse to up and leave a guy who has been there for me everyday since I started school here for someone who has been absent in my life for the past six years."

"Maria," Rachel started, startling both of them. It was the first time she had spoken during this entire debate. "She has a point," she continued. "You can't expect her to just willingly leave behind the one place she's ever truly been able to call home."

Sighing, Maria caved in. "You have three months to change your mind."

"No," Gabriella denied. "_You _have three months to change _my_ mind. Good luck, because you'll need all the luck you can get."

"You act like it's a punishment, _a prison sentencing,_" Maria claimed. "I assure you that it would be as much of a blessing for me as it would be for you. I just want my daughter back, is that so wrong?"

"If you wouldn't have abandoned me you wouldn't need to _get me back_. I would already be with you," she stated.

"Gabriella, I can't change what I did. I can't go back in time and correct my mistakes and make everything better, but what I can change is the future," she said. "I can be a part of your life again."

"Gabriella, honey," Rachel spoke up, snapping Gabriella's attention to her. "Why don't you go to your room and work on your homework? There are some things I would like to discuss with your mother."

Nodding, Gabriella gave her a small smile and practically jolted up the stairs, never more thankful than now to have homework to take her mind off of everything. However, she couldn't help but wonder what was happening downstairs. She heard voices coming through the door, indicating that it had erupted into a shouting match. Grimacing, she felt for her phone in her pocket. She wanted desperately to call Troy, but she knew that now wasn't the best time to do so. Calling him would only result in more conflict. She decided that she would call him when her emotions settled.

Unable to focus on her work, Gabriella opened her door just a crack and looked down at her feuding aunt and mother.

"What did you think would happen?" Rachel snapped. "Did you think you could just walk back into her life and she would come at you with open arms? Get real, Maria. The twelve-year-old innocent little girl you left behind is long gone. In her place is a seventeen-year-old who knows little more besides hurt and abandonment, and ninety percent of what she knows can be traced back to you."

"I don't care what you say. She's my daughter and I demand custody!" Maria shouted.

"Gabriella is permanently in my care until she turns eighteen," Rachel stated. "Unless she chooses otherwise, but you can't just take her without her consent, which, as of right now, you don't have."

"You're unfit to take care of her!" Maria shouted. "You proved that when she walked with that…_boy_. From that moment, I could tell that he was nothing but trouble. It's a wonder she's not already knocked up!"

Gabriella wished now that she hadn't listened in, for her anger was boiling over worse now than before. When it came to Troy, she was highly defensive of him. She wanted to go downstairs and put her in her place, but Rachel's voice stopped her.

"I'll tell you one thing. _That boy_ cares more about her than you ever did," she stated. "And, don't you dare try to judge someone you know nothing about. Do you see Gabriella judging your 'so-called' fiancé? No. Though your choices are impeccable. First, you married an abusive tyrant, and now you're with someone who's what? Ten years younger than you?"

"That's none of your business," she snapped.

"Neither is who Gabriella dates," Rachel replied. "Like I said, she is in my legal custody now. What she does has nothing to do with you."

"Gabriella is _my_ daughter regardless of who's custody she's in," Maria claimed. "And we'll see just how much she wants to stay here once that boy is done with her."

Rachel smiled at this. "I'm afraid you'll probably be waiting, oh, a few _centuries _for that to happen," she stated confidently. "Now, I think it's time for you to leave. Goodbye, sister."

"This isn't over," Maria claimed, slamming the door behind her. Gabriella didn't see Matt anywhere, and so she assumed that her mother had already sent him outside shortly after she left the room. It was strange how one minute she went from living an almost drama-free life, and then yesterday she received one of the most dreaded phone calls of her life and now her mother reappears out of nowhere. How could her life take such a drastic turn? Maybe that was just it; it was _her_ life. If there wasn't some massive problem she would think it was all a dream. The last few months certainly didn't feel real to her now; they were just too close to perfect.

Sighing, she glanced at the pictures on her desk and smiled sadly. The first was a picture of herself and Alexis when Alexis was only little over a year old, making her seven. It had been taken in the local park, underneath a tree. Alexis sat in her lap, smiling and giggling as Gabriella tried to keep a firm hold on her squirming sister. Gabriella, too, was laughing and smiling broadly as her mother snapped the picture. It reminded her of happier times, when her family was whole and as close to perfect as it ever was.

"Well, little sister, should I accept mama back into my life or send her packing?" Gabriella spoke, although expecting no reply. She felt instant regret at the idea of pushing her away, for regardless of what she had done she was still her mother. Rachel took care of her now, but she wasn't the one who used to tuck her into bed at night or the one who sang her lullabies before she fell asleep. Rachel couldn't fill the void left by her mother, nor could she be expected to. That was something that only Maria herself could fill.

Gingerly, Gabriella lifted her gaze to the second picture. It was of herself and Troy at their junior prom. What if accepting Maria meant she would have to give him up? Leaving him was not an option, she decided. Troy had done nothing wrong for him to deserve Maria's harsh judgment. Troy wasn't perfect, but it was his flaws that made him real. Maria didn't even know what those flaws were; they certainly weren't nearly as bad as her first husband's.

A light knocking startled Gabriella from her thoughts. "Come in," she said, knowing already who it would be.

Rachel slowly opened the door and stepped inside. "I assume you heard everything," she stated.

Nodding guiltily, she replied, "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"It's okay, I'm glad you heard," she said. "I didn't want you to be surprised if she throws anything up in your face later."

"How could she stand there and say that about Troy?" she asked suddenly. "I mean, he was only here for two minutes and he never said a word until he was about to leave."

"She's just concerned," she assured her. "She met your father her senior year, and she just doesn't want you to end up like her. That's all."

"Troy isn't like him," she said, disgusted by the idea of comparing the two. "He is a thousand times better now that his parents are gone. He's almost a completely different person now than he was when I first met him. What remains the same is his heart of gold."

"I know he is, but she doesn't," she stated. "I told her nothing about him, hoping that she wouldn't find out, but that's inevitable either way. Matt is now East High's temporary basketball coach."

Gabriella's eyes widened in shock. "How did he get that position already?"

"He was a basketball coach back in California. That was all the details I got before you came," she stated.

"Maybe he won't recognize Troy. I mean, they don't know his name, right?" Gabriella asked.

"Not that I'm aware of, but I'm sure they'll figure it out," she said. "Maybe you should tell Troy. Give him a bit of a warning to be on guard for him. I really don't trust him."

"I'll call him tonight," she agreed. "I'm sure he's wondering how it turned out."

"Are you sure you don't want to call him now and make sure he made it home?" Rachel suggested. "You never know. Your mom could've sent Matt to run him over."

Hastily, Gabriella grabbed her phone from her pocket as Rachel chuckled, shaking her head. "I was only joking, but we know nearly nothing about him. Maybe he's a serial killer."

Shrugging, Gabriella replied, "You never know, given her previous choice of men." Dialing the familiar number, she listened to the ring until his voice finally came through.

"Did you miss me already?" he asked, a teasing note in his voice.

"Not at all," she sarcastically replied. "I was just calling to make sure you weren't flattened by any mustangs."

"Did it go that bad?" he asked, all teasing gone from his tone.

"I honestly thought that furniture would've started flying had Rachel not dismissed her when she did," she stated. "I would've liked to throw a lamp or two…"

Troy chuckled at this comment. "Gabriella, I can't imagine you stepping on an ant, let alone throwing a lamp at your own mother."

"I've stepped on plenty of ants in my life," she defended. "And it wasn't so much what she said to me…It was what she was saying to Rachel when she thought I was in my room, not listening….Some of it made me want to just rip her head off."

"My being there earlier I'm assuming made it worse?" he assumed.

"She already has an opinion of you, and you were only here for two minutes.," she stated. "That was one of the reasons I wanted to rip her head off."

"My parents never liked you, either," he said, his voice sounding a bit strained. It was difficult for him to bring his parents into subject, and she knew he was reliving the nightmare every time he did. "They said things about you….not good things….in order to get a rise out of me. I've always been very…_defensive_ of you."

"Rachel thinks that my mom's afraid that I'll end up like her," Gabriella said. "If I'm with you."

"That _will never _happen," he vowed, his voice tight but controlled. "If I have to cut off my limbs to prove that I will."

"That is unnecessary," she replied. "I know that you would never hurt me. You don't have to prove anything to her."

"That's just it, Brie. I think I do have something to prove to her," he stated. "I mean, I want to be with you for as long as you want me, and she's your mother, regardless of how you feel about her. If she doesn't think I'm good enough for her daughter, then it's my responsibility to prove that I am. And, if I can't convince her then maybe she's right."

"She can't control who I date," she stated.

"But, I don't want to come between you having the relationship you've always wanted with your mom," he argued. "Regardless of what you say, I know you love her, and I know you're installing barriers as we speak to keep her shut out, so she won't hurt you again."

"It scares me, how well you know me," she told him, unable to fight a small smile.

"We've lived such similar lives. It's natural how well we understand one another," he explained. "It's what makes us so compatible."

"Troy," she started tentatively, recalling the main reason she had called him. "There's something you really need to know. Remember the guy who was sitting next to my mom?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"That's my mom's fiancé," she started. "And, he's also going to be your new basketball coach."

Gabriella felt uneasy when Troy didn't speak. However, the feeling subsided when she heard his voice. "Well," he said, humor evident in his voice. "Our lives suddenly got a lot more interesting."

"Troy, aren't you at all concerned about what could happen with him as your coach?" she asked. "As long as you're with me, it's going to cause problems for you, I'm sure."

"Tell your soon-to-be step-dad that he better bring it," he stated confidently. "Because he'll have to kill me to keep me away from you."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," she told him, wanting nothing more in that moment than to reach out and hug him. "I love you. Have I told you that lately?"

Chuckling, he replied, "Oh, just every day, at least twice. Have I told you lately that I love you, too?"

"Oh, I don't know. At least twice a day," she replied, smiling shyly as she did every time that he reminded her.

"Hey, how long will your mom be in town?" he asked suddenly.

"As far as I know a few months. Why?" she answered.

"Well, I was thinking…" he started. "Friday night. How does the idea of you, me, your mom and her fiancé go out to dinner?"

"I can ask, I guess," she grudgingly replied. "Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to."

"I want to meet your mom, Brie," he stated. "And I want her to get to know me a bit, so then she can make accurate judgments."

Gabriella's eyes widened. "Are you going to tell her?"

"If the topic of my parents arises, then I will," he answered. "As long as I'm seeing her daughter, I feel that she has the right to know the truth."

Swallowing the thick lump forming in her throat, Gabriella spoke, "You really want her approval, don't you?"

"I told you numerous times, Gabriella. I want to be with you as long as you still want me, but it'll be a lot easier if the other people in our lives approve of our relationship. I never cared what my parents thought, because the day I turned eighteen I vowed I would never see them again anyway. You have no idea how much I would love for one of my parents to suddenly decide that they cared for me and wanted a positive relationship with me. I would give just about anything to have that happen, but I've long ago accepted that it never will. I want this for you, and I don't want to be the reason you push her away."

"You're incredible," she stated. "And, for you, I guess I'll try."


	7. Heart To Heart

Disclaimer: HSM is not mine.

* * *

Gabriella trudged through the halls of East High, managing to make it through the crowded hallways without getting mangled. Last night she didn't sleep at all, for her mind was still a buzz from the previous afternoon. She was slightly in a bad mood, but she tried not to show it. Life with her father had taught her how to successfully hide her true feelings.

"Good morning, Gabriella," Taylor greeted her, falling into step beside her.

Forcing a small smile, Gabriella replied, "Good morning."

"You seem a little off today," Taylor commented. "Is something wrong? Your dad didn't contact you again, did he?"

Sighing, she answered, "No, he's been long forgotten. I had a visitor last night."

"Well, who?" she asked. "Don't leave me hanging here."

"It was…my mom," she hesitated. "And her new man. She wants me to come back to California with her, but I don't really want to speak to her, let alone leave Albuquerque with her."

"So, what are you going to do?" she asked her.

"Troy wants me to work it out," she recalled. "But, I just don't know…I mean, I love my mom and all, I guess I have to, but the past can't just vanish. I can't just forget and live my life with her again as though nothing happened. And I won't just fly off to California with her and her fiancé. I love my life here, and I don't want to leave for anyone."

"More importantly, you refuse to leave the blue-eyed boy standing by your locker?" she teased, pointing in his direction. Upon seeing him, Gabriella couldn't help but to smile.

"That, too," she agreed. "I'll see you in homeroom, Tay."

As she drew closer, she caught Troy's stare as his face lit up at the sight of her. "Good morning, beautiful," he greeted, leaning casually against the locker beside hers, his laid-back stance making him surprisingly more appealing than usual.

Leaning forward, she gave him a light peck on the lips and replied, "Good morning to you, too."

"So, how was the rest of your night?" he asked her, slipping his hand in hers, caressing the back of it gently.

"Uneventful," she answered. "How was your night?"

"Boring," he replied, kissing her forehead affectionately. "I couldn't wait until I saw you again."

Giggling, she asked, "What brought this on?"

"Is it wrong for a guy to show his beautiful girlfriend a little early morning lovin'?" he questioned innocently. "I'm just in that kind of mood today, you know?"

"Mmm, I like it when you're in that kind of mood," she stated as he nuzzled her neck. "I still want to know why, though."

"I guess you're worthy of knowing," he started, causing her to laugh. "I had a dream about you last night."

"Oh?" she said, eyebrows raised in suspicion. "And what were we doing in said dream?"

"Use your imagination," he replied, winking seductively, causing her to feel suddenly giddy with elation. She liked the chaste relationship she had with him, but sometimes she wondered if he ever wanted anything beyond that. It was times like these, however, that she realized that he wanted it at least as much as she did.

"Oh gosh, now you're having dirty dreams about me," she stated, a deep blush creeping up on her face.

"Nothing _too _dirty," he denied. "No, more like sensual. A lot of touching involved. When I woke up this morning, I could barely wait to see you, not that that's a change from any other morning."

"Why do you get all the pleasant dreams of us and I just get the depressing ones?" she questioned. "It really isn't fair."

Chuckling, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe your brain doesn't like you. I mean, you overload it with all that information and expect it to retain it all. Maybe it's trying to tell you to relax."

"Or, maybe it's trying to tell me that it's time to find a new boyfriend," she teased. "You know, that is one thing my mother pointed out, that if I went with her I could easily pick up someone else there." Troy tried to mask his hurt by this statement, but she caught on immediately and placed her hands firmly on his shoulders. "I would never leave you, of course. I could never find someone who knows me this well, nor do I _want_ to find someone else."

"If you would decide to go back with her, though, I'll understand," he replied. "I don't want to come between you having a relationship with her. I know I've said it before, but I think that you having a positive relationship with her should come before us. She's your mom, and nothing in the world can ever change that. She's the only one you'll ever have, whereas I'm just your boyfriend. You can easily dump and replace me within a day."

Rolling her eyes, she argued, "You aren't _that_ easy to replace. You're sort of a one-of-a-kind."

"Aw thanks," he replied, grinning. "I could never replace you, either. I don't think anyone else can put up with me."

"Yeah, it's not like you're _insanely_ attractive or anything," she retorted.

"Hey, I can only try," he defended, shrugging nonchalantly although unable to hide his smile. "So, anyway, when are you going to pitch my idea to your mom?"

"Well," she started nervously. "Aunt Rachel gave me her address last night, and so I was probably going to stop by after school. I think she'll be home."

"I can tell you're nervous," he said, gently cupping her cheek in his hand. "Why? She's still your mom, whether she left you or not."

Sighing, she explained, "I know, but that's just it. She's left me once. How do I know she won't do it again?"

"Gabriella, how do you know for sure that _I_ won't leave you?" he questioned. "I can say that I'll be here for you every other minute, but it never changes the fact that you're taking a gamble every time you open up to me. But, what I'm trying to say is that you take the same risk with everyone in your life."

"But, for her, that risk is higher," she argued. "I just can't trust her, not after everything."

"I totally understand that," he agreed. "But, make the effort. She's trying. That's all you can ask for right now."

Leaning into his touch, she sighed, "Fine, but only because you're so persuasive."

As she said this, the bell dismissing students to homeroom sounded throughout the school. Groaning, Troy removed his hand from her face, settling for holding her hand as they walked. "I can go with you tonight if you want me to," he suggested.

Shaking her head, she replied, "Thanks, but it's best if I go alone. She already dislikes you."

"Hopefully we can change that," he stated. "I would hate to be on her bad side. I mean, I don't think I've done anything wrong, other than a few idiotic mistakes I made in the beginning, but she doesn't know anything about that I hope."

"She doesn't, I think," she assured him as they stepped into the room. After he gave her one last peck on the lips, she continued, "I'll talk to you during free period."

"I can't wait," he whispered, his lips tickling her ear, causing her laugh.

* * *

After school let out, Gabriella slowly walked from the school to her car. It was the moment she had been dreading, when she would have to see her mother again. She had no idea what to expect. She could only hope that her intuition was right, that she had decided to leave and so she wouldn't have to face her. However, when she arrived at the apartment building, she spotted the black mustang immediately.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled out the piece of paper which listed which apartment Maria was staying. _The Laurels at Uptown._ It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst. From her limited knowledge, she knew it was average. There was a faded red sign in the front with the name engraved in fancy gold lettering. _This is it_, she thought, pulling into the drive.

Walking up a couple of flights of stairs, she watched for the number on the paper, 37, to emerge on one of the doors. Before long, she found the room she was looking for and knocked gently, hesitantly awaiting her mother's answer.

What was only a matter of seconds felt like an eternity when her mother finally opened the door. Maria appeared taken aback to seeing her there, but she quickly ushered her inside.

"What brings you here?" she asked, smiling politely at her daughter as she motioned for her to sit on the couch. She noted that the kitchen and the living room ran together without seperation and there was a narrow hallway which probably led to the bedroom and bathroom. In the kitchen, she saw that the cabinets were painted a nice red color, not bright red, although it was still pretty. In the mix was a stove, a dishwasher and a refridgerator-all of which were white. She couldn't suppress a smile, as it reminded her too much of East High's colors. "I thought that, after yesterday, you wanted nothing to do with me," Maria claimed, snapping her from her thoughts.

"Mom," Gabriella timidly started. "I'm here because…um, well, I decided I want to make this work."

Maria looked at her, a hint of astonishment lighting up her eyes. "What brought this on?"

"Well, you see, I've decided that life is too short to spend holding a grudge against someone who loves me," she stated, reluctantly adding, "And whom I love."

Hesitantly, Maria reached out and hugged her. It was the first true sign of physical intimacy the two had shared since she returned. Gabriella stiffened under her grasp, feeling as though she was being held by a stranger. These arms once used to be her source of comfort, but were now entirely foreign. Nonetheless, she returned it.

"Oh, Gabi," Maria cooed. "I'm glad that you made this decision. I promise you won't regret it."

"I did…have a little help making this decision," she started, gently pulling away. "My boyfriend, the boy whom I walked in with yesterday, he talked to me about it. He knows practically everything there is to know about me, and he's been my rock for nearly a year. He thinks it would be good for me to have a positive relationship with you, and I find it now that I wholeheartedly agree."

Nodding, Maria asked, "What's his name?"

"Troy," she replied, feeling slightly apprehensive discussing him with her mother. "He also said that he would like to meet you, that maybe we could go out to dinner Friday night, and you can bring Matt along. It would be a good way for everyone to get acquainted with one another."

"I guess I should formally meet the boy _currently_ holding my daughter's interest," she agreed, her voice taking on a hint of sharpness. Gabriella noticed the guarded look crossing her mother's face, indicating that she was planning her every word, not saying what she was truly thinking. She felt her heart drop in her chest; she was _still _holding an unfair grudge against him. "So, tell me, how does Troy treat you?"

"He's a real gentleman," she replied, also planning her words wisely. She refused to give out his personal information, for that was for him to tell whomever he chose. "He showers me with love and tenderness. I think you would like him once you got to know him."

"Are you sleeping with him?" Gabriella's eyes went wide, for she wasn't expecting this subject to arise. Was it really any of her business? Maria looked at her expectantly, and Gabriella could sense that she herself was blushing.

"No, our relationship…isn't like that," she answered finally, biting back her emotions. "Our relationship is more emotional and psychological…We kiss, hug and hold hands, but that's the gist of our _physical _relationship."

"That's good," she commented. "Don't give yourself to the first guy who pays a little bit of attention to you."

"I'll give myself to whomever I want to," she muttered, unable to fight this thought from escaping her lips. When the time was right, she intended to give herself to him. It wasn't because she was desperate to keep him; it was because she knew that he truly loved her, and she was madly in love with him.

"According to your birth certificate, you're still a minor," Maria claimed, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"In May I won't be," she argued. "After that, I'm free to do whatever I want. Until then, Aunt Rachel and Uncle Mike are the only two I have to answer to."

Gabriella saw a spark light up in Maria's eyes, but it quickly passed and she was calm again. "Rachel is my sister. I'm sure she would respect my wishes."

"In case you haven't realized, I'm not twelve anymore," she snapped. "You don't have any control over my life anymore. You relinquished that right when you left."

"I just don't want to see you make the mistakes I made," she replied. "I only want what's best for you. I understand that you have a perfect 4.0 GPA. You have so much potential. Don't throw it away for some guy."

"Troy is not just _some guy_," she growled. "He doesn't deserve the criticism you're giving him."

"What are his future plans?" she questioned. "Is he going to be working at some minimum-wage job for the rest of his life or does he intend to actually make something of himself?"

"For your information, he's the star basketball player on a team in which I hear your fiancé is now the coach of. He led the team to winning the state championship last year, and I'd bet my last dollar that he'll do it again this year."

Maria raised her eyebrow. "Oh, so he must be the boy every teacher at the school gossips about. The one who's father was the coach, until his parents were arrested for alleged child abuse charges?"

Gabriella's blood went cold. "H-how did you-"

"Intuition," she claimed. "After his job interview, Matt talked to one of the other gym teachers. He filled him in on what happened to the former coach. Without mentioning him by name, he said that his son was also on the team."

"And you think that that's Troy," she presumed.

"Given your initial reaction, I'd say I guessed right," she stated.

"Do you understand now why I'm so attached to him?" she asked, hope lighting up her eyes.

"It's…_understandable_," she reluctantly admitted. "But, you do realize that, chances are, he'll grow up to be just like his parents."

"He would never hurt me!" she argued defensively.

"Has it already happened?" Gabriella hesitated in answering this question, and Maria saw her chance and capitalized. "Hesitance is the sure indicator that says _yes, but I'm going to lie my way out_."

"He hasn't hurt me," she denied, swallowing the thick lump in her throat. Maria couldn't prove anything. The one incident was ancient history as far as Gabriella was concerned, except times like now...when she was reliving every second. Shaking these thoughts away, she reminded herself that that was a different Troy Bolton. That was the Troy who barely knew which way was up, let alone how to control his temper. Times were different now, and he was different. With his parents gone, he stopped having to fight all the time, meaning that he didn't have a reason to really get mad. However, that also meant that she really didn't know how he would react if he was angry. All she could do was hope that what her heart was telling her was correct.

"I can see it in your eyes that you're lying," she stated. "Do you not think I told the same exact lie for years?"

Averting her gaze, she replied, "He only hurt me once, but it was by accident. We were arguing, and he grabbed my shoulders just a little too tightly. It's not like he ever hit me, and the incident happened while he was still with them. I don't hold him responsible for anything he did while under their _care_. He's become an entirely different person now."

"And do you know what'll happen the next time he gets mad at you?" she questioned.

"He's not a very quick-tempered person anymore," she told her. "He's a wonderful person. He has a few flaws, but so does everyone else. He's not perfect, but he's _real_, and I love him for everything that he is. He's a very special person to me, and I just wish that you could respect my choice in being with him."

"He hurt you once, but yet you took him back," she started. "That was one of the dumbest decisions you could ever make. That just gives him power over you. He now knows that he can hurt you and you'll keep taking him back, just like that."

"Mom, it happened around ten months ago. If he wanted to hurt me again, I'm sure he would've by now," she argued. "Please, just give him a chance. He really loves me, and he would never hurt me again."

"You can't see the future," she stated. "That's the problem with child abuse victims. You never know when they'll snap because it's all they know."

"I was a victim, too. That doesn't mean that I'm going to hurt him," she replied. "We're good together because we understand each other so well on that level. I couldn't find anyone else whom I would love that really understood me as well as he does."

Sighing, she reluctantly sta

* * *

ted, "I guess there's really no sense in arguing just yet. I'll go Friday, but I won't make any promises I'll change my mind."

"He's really a great guy, mom," Gabriella told her, satisfied that her mother seemed to be giving in. "You'll see."

"Again, I repeat, I'm not making any promises," she retorted.

"Are you that cynical of men?" Gabriella questioned. "If so, then why are you with Matt?"

"No, I'm not cynical of men. I'm just cynical of teenage boys wanting to date my daughter," she denied. "You're the only one I have left, and I don't want to lose you, too."

An overwhelming warm feeling filled Gabriella upon hearing these words. Although she seemed to have the wrong idea about Troy, she realized that her mother's heart was at least in the right place. Seemingly, she just wanted to make sure she was safe, that Troy wasn't a monster in disguise, like her father. She guessed that, if she were in her mother's shoes, she would react the same way. However, she was confident in knowing that, after Friday, she would have a change of heart.

"It's getting later," Maria suddenly stated, breaking the awkward silence that surrounded them. "You should…probably head home. Rachel will be wondering where you are."

"I'll give you more details about Friday night as Troy and I plan," she replied, walking towards the door. "I'll see you then."

* * *

AN: The wait for this chapter wasn't as long as the usual wait, kudos to me. I hope you guys liked this chapter, even though not too much happened. I enjoyed writing the exchange between Gabriella and her mom, and I'm hoping that she'll come across as one of those well-rounded characters whom you don't 100% like but don't really hate, either. In the next chapter, we'll get to see how the dinner goes, so stay tuned and thanks for reviewing :)


	8. Dinner

AN: This chapter turned out twice as long as I expected. That seems to be happening a lot to me lately, lol. Anyway, I hope it's good and that you all enjoy it. And, as always, thanks for reviewing :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

The date on the calendar blared from the page, sending silent taunts straight to Gabriella's mind. _Friday_. The day that she dreaded more than anything. Tonight, she would see her mother for the third time this week. Tonight, Maria would formerly meet Troy for the very first time. Her stomach was in knots at the mere thought of what the night would bring. She already knew that this wouldn't end well.

"Whatever happens, happens," Troy reminded her on a daily basis. If his face wasn't so handsome, she had a feeling that she would've smacked him after the second reminder. "We can't escape fate. We can only embrace it and roll with the punches."

"Unless it punches our teeth out. Then I doubt we'll be rolling unless it's in pain," she replied, placing her books in her locker. His hands planted firmly against her hips as he carefully spun her around to face him. Then, he kissed her passionately, backing her gently against her locker as her hands automatically wound around his neck, tussling his hair.

"That's why dentures were invented," he stated once he had broken the kiss. "Don't worry. Everything will work out. It always does. Sometimes, a situation has to get worse before it can get better, but unless something insane happens, like your mom's fiancé turns out to really be a skilled assassin and he shoots me down, I will be right here for you. I promise."

Giggling, she commented, "Hired assassin?"

Shrugging, he replied, "It can happen. Haven't you watched the horror movies? Like…like, _My Girlfriend's Stepfather Murdered Me_?"

"I don't think that's a real movie," she stated, laughing. "And…as picky as my mom seems to be about who I date, I seriously doubt she'd want to marry an assassin."

"So, how am I going to impress your mom?" he asked her. "Any ideas?"

"Be yourself," she advised. "Don't be someone you aren't just to impress her. If you yourself aren't good enough for her then oh well. She's not dating you. I am."

"And I'm assuming that I'm good enough for you?" he queried.

"You're more than that," she said. "You're too good for me."

"No one is too good for you," he argued. "Because you're too good for anyone else."

"Hardly," she replied, rolling her eyes as she closed her locker. "If I thought for one second that I was better than you, then I would've never spared you a second glance."

"However," he started, gently wrapping his arms around her. "If you weren't better than me, then how could you be my angel?"

"Hm, you know, as often as you call me that, it's a wonder you don't have dreams of me where I'm sporting angel wings," she teased.

"I would love that," he replied, smirking. "I know you have them. They're just hidden…under your clothes…"

"Are you saying you want to uncover them?" she questioned, running her finger down his chest seductively.

"Oh God, that would be a dream come true," he claimed, grinning as she blushed. Pecking her lips, he stated, "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever known, and I'm a guy, last I checked. How could I not fantasize?"

"How soon do you want that fantasy to come true?" she murmured, pulling him as close to her as possible. She felt his heart beat racing, and she smirked. It took so little for her to turn him on.

"How about now?" he asked, a playful grin on his face.

"Too bad, we have class," she replied, pulling away from him, smirking.

As if on cue, the bell rang and Troy groaned.. "I guess we better get inside," he reluctantly stated as he took her hand in his.

It seemed as though Gabriella's closet had exploded.

On the floor, a dozen shirts and dresses lay scattered, thrown carelessly in random places. This always seemed to happen on the nights she was to go out on a date with Troy, but tonight was even worse. Tonight, she was dressing to impress not only him, but also her mother and soon-to-be stepfather.

In the very back of her closet, she was relieved to find Troy's favorite on her: a black ruffle hem dress with a tie in the front. It was a daring dress for her to wear seeing as it bared a little more cleavage than she usually wore, but she was almost eighteen years old and her mother couldn't say anything about it seeing as she wasn't her legal guardian.

With her decision made, she slipped on the dress and examined herself in the full length mirror. The dress fell just above her knees and with the help of jewelry, she could take attention away from her chest (although, it wasn't Troy's attention that she wanted to draw away from. She still knew nothing about Maria's fiancé).

Next, Gabriella put on a jade-green necklace given to her by her grandmother, her mother's mother. It was something that she only wore on the specialist of occasions. Ever since she was younger, she had the superstition that it was her good luck charm. Tonight, she would need all the luck she could get.

Make-up was the next thing on her list. Usually, she didn't apply much, but the dress showed scars that, thanks to cover-up, Troy had never seen, and as long as she had it her way, he would never see them.

Just above her chest, a scar went almost shoulder to shoulder. Carefully, she worked to cover it. If tonight was just herself and her mother, she would've showed nearly every scar on her body possible, reminding her mother of what she left her to deal with. However, they weren't appropriate for an occasion such as this.

Putting on the finishing touches, she allowed her hair to fall along her shoulders in waves. It was another of Troy's preferences. She knew that he liked being able to run his fingers through it, and she enjoyed it when he did.

Glancing at the clock, she realized it was time to leave. She had exactly half an hour to pick up Troy and meet her mother and Matt at the restaurant.

Walking downstairs, she wondered into the kitchen to let Rachel know she was leaving. Mike would be home in just a few minutes, she predicted.

"Wow, you look beautiful, Gabriella," Rachel commented, examining her from head-to-toe. "I just hope you don't give your mom a heart attack. She's still not used to the fact that you're a teenager, let alone almost an adult."

"She's going to have to deal with it," she stated. "And the fact that I'm dressing to impress my boyfriend, no one else."

Smiling, Rachel shook her head. "He's trying to impress her, but if you tempt him too much he may get too distracted and thus ruin his chances with her."

"It's his favorite dress on me," she stated. "Of course, that may be because it triggers his little _fantasies._"

"Guys are like that," she replied. "As long as he's only fantasizing about you, it's okay."

"He claims I'm the only one," she stated, giggling slightly. "You know, I never imagined I would be with a guy like him, but when I think about it, I could never picture myself with any other kind of guy."

"He's a great guy, no matter what your mom says," she agreed. "Don't let her talk you into anything. Make your own decisions. She doesn't always know what's best for you. If she did, she would've never left."

"She'll see," Gabriella stated. "And, if not, then there's no place for her in my life if she can't accept the others in it."

"Good for you to stand up for yourself," Rachel commended. "It's your life, your decisions. She needs to respect it."

"Exactly," she agreed. "Anyway, I need to go get Troy. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she told her, sending her a playful wink, causing Gabriella to blush.

"Oh, come on, Troy and I aren't like that," she replied, smiling. "We can act mature on a date."

"You better tonight," she warned. "Don't give her a reason to dislike him."

Rolling her eyes, she promised, "We'll be good, no worries."

Pulling into the Danforths' driveway, Gabriella barely managed to stop the car before Troy came out. Upon seeing him, dressed in a pair of dressy black jeans and a white button-down shirt, she smiled as her eyes fell to what he held in his hand: a long jewelry box.

Her heart raced faster and faster as he drew closer to the car. When his eyes locked with hers, he smiled as he sat in the passenger's seat. "You look beautiful," he complimented, giving her a playful wink. "Although, you should've known better than to wear that dress, seeing that I'm trying to leave your mom with a good impression of me, and I don't think I can do that if I can't keep my hands off you."

"Well, we're alone now," she stated. "You can get what you want out of the way now."

"Oh, there's a lot of things I want to do with you," he stated, smirking. "But, then we'd miss our date so it'll have to wait unfortunately. By the way, I got you something."

"Must you get me something for every date? It makes me feel bad because I can never get anything for you," she pouted.

"You already give me everything that I want and more just by waking up each morning," he told her.

"As do you, yet you insist on bringing me flowers or buying me jewelry," she replied.

"Because, I'm a guy and you're the beautiful lady that I love," he explained, holding the box out for her. "I'm glad you wore that dress tonight. It matches."

Smiling, she took the jewelry box from his hand and opened it. Her jaw dropped in amazement as she stared at it. It was short, but she knew it would hug her neck perfectly but not tightly. Large, black stones hung from it, the largest being the center. "It's…beautiful," she sputtered, finally looking at him. "How much did it cost?"

"I won't tell you that because it doesn't matter," he replied. "When we get out, I'll help you put it on."

"Thank you," she said, hugging him awkwardly from the seat.

"Easy there," he told her, chuckling. "Let's get through this dinner and there'll be plenty of time for that later."

"Right," she replied, starting the car as he put his seatbelt on.

"You know, this is kind of degrading," he stated suddenly once they were in drive.

"What is?" she asked, although she knew what he meant.

"You having to drive me around," he answered, sighing. "I mean, you're my girl and I'm supposed to be taking care of you and treating you like the princess that you are, but I can't even drive you on our dates."

"Oh, Troy," she started, shaking her head. "You are such a…_man_. Not everyone inherits vehicles from dead relatives. I was just lucky."

"But, still, Brie. It's a tradition," he replied. "It makes me feel…less like a man."

"I know how to remind you of just how much of a man you are," she told him, smirking. "I'll kick you in a certain area and you'll remember…"

"Whoa, no thanks!" he quickly declined. "Been kicked there too many times to count."

"I'm joking," she assured him. "You know I'd never do something like that."

"That's one of the many reasons why I love you," he told her, smiling. "You don't have a mean bone in your body. Considering what you've been through, you're a very open-hearted person…usually. Whereas I'm…well, almost the opposite."

"You are not," she argued. "You're always very loving towards me. You let me inside. Therefore, you have to be open."

"You're the exception," he claimed. "I mean, I guess I'm close to Chad now, too, but I can never open up to him about…what happened."

"That's understandable," she agreed. "I can't tell Taylor or Kelsi, or even Rachel as much as I've told you…Yeah, sure, they all know generally what happened, what with my dad abusing me, my mom taking off and that my dad killed my sister, but I never gave Kelsi and Taylor any further details. You know the most because you understand me best, and I don't fear your reaction or judgment. As you shouldn't fear mine."

"I don't," he agreed, smiling slightly. "The only thing I fear coming from you is the idea of you leaving me."

"That will never happen," she assured him. "Unless, of course, you don't want me anymore."

"That will never happen, either," he replied. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

Peralta's Café was one of the more high-class restaurants in Albuquerque. Troy and Gabriella had only gone there once for a date, that being their six-month anniversary not too long ago. They felt that it was a nice, quiet place to talk with few interruptions.

"Time to put this on," Troy told her as he made his way to her side. Stopping behind her, he carefully placed the necklace around her neck and fastened it, his hands brushing intentionally against her bare back in the process. Her heart beat erratically in her chest as she felt his lips tickle the back of her throat. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, resting his hands on her shoulders. "I don't know how I'll get through tonight without any physical contact…."

"Then get it out of your system now," she suggested as he whirled her around, facing him.

"Gladly," he replied, kissing her lips. Giggling, she returned the kiss as her arms slid around his neck, her fingers mingling with his hair. Before they could get too far, however, someone a few feet away from them cleared their throat. Turning toward the sound, their faces grew deep shades of red.

"Hello again, Gabriella," Maria greeted, feigning cordiality. Gabriella felt her stomach drop, knowing that that was no way for her mother to find them. She only hoped that she hadn't made up her mind completely about him.

"H-hi, mom. Thanks for meeting us here," she managed to reply, taking a hesitant step towards her.

"And you must be Troy Bolton," Maria continued, examining him closely. "Gabriella has told me _a lot_ about you."

"Good things I hope," he replied, trying his best to remain cool under pressure. "It's nice to _officially_ meet you, Ms. Montez."

"Just as well," she replied, although Troy and Gabriella both received the vibes that she thought otherwise.

"Oh, I only told your most _embarrassing_ secrets," Gabriella teased, taking his hand in hers, lessening the sudden tension a bit.

"Oh no," he groaned. "Brie, you didn't…not _that…_"

"Chill out, I'm joking," she stated. "I don't even know your most embarrassing secret."

"And I plan on keeping it that way," he replied.

"So, Mom, where's Matt?" Gabriella asked, turning her attention back to Maria.

"Right here," a fourth voice answered as a tall, tanned-skin man wrapped his arm around Maria's shoulders. Examining her mother's face, she noticed the warmth of her expression as she looked up at her fiancé. _She's in love_, she realized, started by the idea of it. She used to think that her mother was in love with her father, at least for a little while, long enough to marry him and have her, perhaps. However, during her lifetime, she never really remembered Maria as being happy. She merely hid behind fake smiles and lies.

"Matt," Maria started. "You've already met Gabriella. This is her boyfriend, Troy."

"Nice to meet you," Matt greeted politely, extending his hand which Troy, hesitantly, accepted.

"Nice to meet you, too," Troy returned. Gabriella sensed new vibes coming off of him, and she instantly knew what it was. Not only would Matt soon be replacing her father, but he would also soon be replacing his father as his coach.

"Um, let's go inside now. We can talk more while we eat. I'm _starving_," Gabriella suggested, using any excuse to eliminate the awkwardness of this situation.

Chuckling, Troy replied, "Yes, ma'am. Whatever you say."

"Table for four, please," Matt told the server once we were inside.

"Right this way, please," the young girl told them, leading them towards the back of the restaurant.

Following her mother and soon-to-be step-father, Gabriella rested her free hand on Troy's shoulder and whispered, "Don't be nervous."

"I'm not nervous," he denied. "Just a little…wary is all."

"Just be you, and everything will fall into place," she assured him. "Act naturally, and if you ever need my support, just squeeze my hand and I'll do what I can."

"I'll be fine," he assured her, but she didn't believe him for a second.

The four were seated at a table towards the back, a perfect spot for talking. Couples and a few families sat were scattered out inside, but it wasn't exactly busy. A waitress greeted them and took their orders, and as soon as she left, Maria jumped on the opportunity to speak.

"So, Troy," she started casually. "What do you plan on doing after high school? Are you going to college?"

"I'm supposed to receive a full basketball scholarship to the University of Albuquerque as long as this season goes well," he answered, taking a hesitant sip of his water.

"Do you know what your major is going to be?" she asked.

"I'm not entirely sure yet, but I've been thinking lately about majoring in criminal justice," he replied.

Gabriella's eyes widened in surprise. "You never told me that," she said, looking at him expectantly.

Shrugging, he told her, "It's because I just recently started really thinking about it but I haven't made up my mind yet. I wanted to tell you when I was sure."

"You'd be good at it," she reluctantly agreed. "But, I'd worry about you everyday."

"There's nothing saying I'm going for it yet, or I might but later change my mind," he said.

Silence took over the table but not for long, for Maria had many more questions.

"So, Troy, out of _curiosity_, how exactly do you feel about my daughter?" she questioned.

"I love your daughter…Ms. Montez," Troy stated instantly, steadily meeting her gaze. "She is the most amazing person I've ever met, and I would never do anything to hurt her in any way."

"According to her, you already have," Maria chided. Troy gave Gabriella a frightened look but said nothing as Gabriella bit her bottom lip nervously. "But, tell me something," she continued. "_Why_ do you love my daughter?"

"I'm…not exactly sure," he answered, his gaze finally wavering as he looked down at Gabriella as he spoke. "There's no one single thing she does or has done that makes her stand out to me. Everything about her I find endearing. I feel so much happiness whenever she's near, like I want to run out in the middle of the street and break into some random song…I couldn't give you one reason as to why I love her. Love just is."

"So, in that case, do you love her enough that you could let her go if she wanted to leave?" Maria asked.

Troy hesitated for a moment, his gaze still locked with Gabriella's, but he soon averted his eyes back to Maria. "To be honest, it would kill me inside if I had to let her go, but I love her enough that I could let her go if that was what she wanted. It's the ultimate test of love. If she loves me, then she would someday come back to me. If she doesn't, then we were never meant to be and I'd wish her the best."

Looking down at her plate, Gabriella tried to focus on eating while Troy and her mother talked. It was weird for them to sit around talking about her like she wasn't even there, and every time he turned to her while answering a question, she felt as though she was a lab rat, but the look of undying devotion in his eyes made it all okay. Just as her mother was about to ask another question, he slipped his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze under the table.

"What would it take to make you mad?" Maria asked suddenly. "I'm sure you know why I must ask that question, if you know as much about her as she claims you do."

"I really don't know that answer anymore," he replied, feeling slightly uneasy about this question. "Before I met Gabriella and even for a couple of months afterwards, just about every annoyance had the power to anger me. But, since then, I have had no reason to be mad because I love my life. I guess, though, if someone threatened the safety of my loved ones I would get pretty mad, but other than that I can't think of anything that could set me off." Sighing, he added, "I think I know another reason why you asked that question. There was one occasion where I was angry with Gabriella, and I grabbed her too tightly. Well, I should've never touched her in the first place. I'll be the first to admit that. But, it was a complete mistake, one that still haunts me to this very moment. It happened several months ago, but I still beat myself up about it. I never told her how much it truly affected me, because I didn't want to talk about it with her. I guess she knows now, and I'm sure she'll lecture me on the drive home." Before continuing, he gave Gabriella a small smile. "But, the truth is, I know what she went through. I know what _I_ went through. I refuse to be like that. I refuse to become the monsters that we grew up with. My heart would never allow it."

Gabriella felt the tension in the air as Troy finished his statement. She wanted so badly to turn the attention away from him, for she could sense his unease growing as the questions grew harder to answer. She realized she could be interrogating Matt in the same fashion, make them feel what she and Troy were feeling from Maria's questions. Before her mother had the chance to ask another question, without thinking, she intervened, "So, Matt, I was just wondering…once you and my mom leave Albuquerque at the end of basketball season, where do you plan on working in California?"

"Actually, Gabriella, think long and hard about it. You might recognize me from somewhere else," Matt replied, giving her a short half-smile.

_That voice_. It did sound familiar, but where exactly had she seen him? She barely went anywhere while living with her father, other than school…_School_. It hit her like a ton of bricks. That was exactly where she'd seen him.

"That's right! You were my gym teacher my freshman year," she recalled.

"Right," he agreed. "I'd have to say, though, you were my favorite in that class. You never talked, meaning you never complained."

Glancing up at Troy, Gabriella caught him smirking at her as he spoke, "That's Gabriella for you. Always the teacher's pet."

Poking her tongue out playfully at him, she replied, "Yeah, well, you're just jealous because you're the exact opposite of that. You're every teacher's nightmare."

"Hey, I've had straight A's all this year, thank you very much," he defended. "That's the first time I've _ever_ pulled that off."

"Thanks to me," she retorted before turning her attention back to Matt. "So, did you just transfer or something for the season?"

"Basically, you could say that," he replied.

"I wanted to find you," Maria interjected.

"And so I found out about the position available here, because apparently they were having difficulty replacing coach Bolton," Matt continued, briefly glancing at Troy who tensed at the mention of his father. Gabriella squeezed his hand gently in reassurance. "I had a replacement in the form of my assistant for the season. So I took the opportunity and so here we are."

"So, _Coach_, when's our first practice?" Troy asked. Only Gabriella noticed the sudden strain in his voice. She felt his hand firmly squeezing hers, and so she rubbed his knuckles in response. She knew that this was, above all, the hardest conversation for him. She knew that he was thinking back to his father, the former coach. Usually, when she caught him reminiscing the dark times with Jack, she would find a way to distract him, usually by kissing or hugging him, but she knew that such behavior would be frowned upon by the woman they were supposed to impress. This meant she would have to comfort him the best way she could.

"Tuesday during your free period there'll be a meeting in the gym," Matt replied.

Nodding silently, Troy took a bite of his food as Gabriella rested her free hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" she whispered in his ear, quiet enough that only he could hear.

"I'm fine," he replied just as quietly, giving her a small, forced smile.

"I don't believe you," she stated, reluctantly withdrawing the hand resting on his shoulder as she felt her mother's heavy stare on her.

"So, Troy," Maria started, and Gabriella felt him stiffen even more. "Where do you live?"

"Victory Hills," he replied, feeling slightly relieved.

"Who do you live with?" she continued.

"Old family friends," he replied, taking another bite of food in an attempt to calm his nerves.

"Where are your parents?" she prompted.

"Oh, mother, please, stop. You and I both know that you already know that answer," Gabriella interrupted, glaring sharply at the woman across the table.

Confused, Troy nudged Gabriella gently, pulling her attention back to him. "Hey, it's okay," he assured her. Crossing her arms, she sighed and relaxed back into her seat. Gingerly, he focused on her mother as he spoke, "My parents are incarcerated on counts of child abuse. Gabriella saved my life. With the help of the guy who is now like a brother to me, they reported them, and Gabriella stopped me from going over the edge…She's the reason I'm alive, and she's the reason I wake up each and every morning. She gave me my will to live."

Gabriella watched her mother's expression as he spoke, and she wished now more than ever that she could read her mind. Her gaze had softened slightly, but Gabriella still noticed the guarded look in her eyes. "How long did this go on for?" Maria asked, breaking the tense silence.

"Since I was a toddler, practically," he started. "Until last April."

Nodding, Maria took a sip of her coke before continuing, "How many past girlfriends have you had?"

Something about the question amused Troy, for he chuckled suddenly. "Gabriella is definitely my first girlfriend, and I'm hoping my only."

"Mom, are you finished your interrogation? Can we have a _normal_ conversation now?" Gabriella interrupted before her mother could ask another question.

"Brie, it's okay. I don't mind," Troy assured her, turning back to Maria. "Any more questions you have for me, I'll gladly answer honestly."

"Just one more tonight, I promise," she replied. "Why did you want so badly to arrange this meeting? And Gabriella mentioned to me that you were the one who pushed her into trying to have a relationship with me. Seeing as how badly yours turned out and what you know of me and…_her father_, why did you want her to open up to me?"

"Because, I care about her," he stated, sighing. "I know you may think that I have…_ulterior_ motives. My parents did, too. But, the truth is, I care immensely about her. And, I think that it would be good for her if she can have a positive relationship with you."

"Even if that could mean her leaving Albuquerque?" she questioned.

"I would hate to lose her, but I think that you should come before me in her life," Troy replied, looking at Gabriella. "She disagrees with me, of course, but I don't want her to lose you because of me. I love her with all of my heart, but if only one of us can be in her life, then I want her to choose you."

"But that doesn't mean that I'll listen to you," Gabriella reminded him, eyes narrowed as she looked at him. Turning to her mother, she continued, "Are you done with the interrogation, mom? I think you've covered everything."

Maria nodded. "Yes, I'm done."

"Did he pass your little investigation?" she asked.

"It's not over yet," she replied. "A mother's investigation of her daughter's boyfriend doesn't end until the relationship does."

"Well, then I guess you'll be investigating for a long time," she retorted. "At any rate, I think I'm finished here. Troy, are you ready to go?"

"Um, yeah, I guess if you are," he replied, uncertain as she stood up. Digging through her purse, she started sifting for her money, but Troy stopped her. "It was my idea. I'm paying," he told her, pulling out his wallet.

"Troy, you don't have to," she protested. "I know you have been saving for God knows how long. Don't waste it now."

"I've been saving for these occasions," he argued, pulling two twenties from his wallet. Smirking slightly, he continued in a hushed whisper, "It's stolen money, anyway. Remember?"

Gabriella cracked a smile as he placed the money with the bill. For years, he had been secretly stealing money from his parents, and it had accumulated over time. Before, he rarely used the money in fear of his parents finding out his secret, but ever since getting relieved from their presence, he had started spending it on her. When they would go out on dates, he always paid for their meals, and he often bought her bouquets at random. She hated the idea of him spending money on her, but she had to admit that it made her smile whenever he did.

Handing him her keys, she spoke, "Can you go on out to my car? I just want a minute with my mom."

Nodding, he flashed her a reassuring smile and kissed her cheek, "I'll be right out there, waiting impatiently for you."

"I won't be long," she assured him as he started walking away. When he was out of hearing range, she turned back to her mother and spoke, "You still don't like him, do you?"

Sighing, Maria replied, "I don't know if I approve, but I don't flat-out disapprove of him, either. He seemed just too perfect, like he already rehearsed his every answer in front of a mirror or something."

"He didn't have to rehearse anything," she stated. "That's exactly what he would say to anyone who asked, because it's straight from his heart. If you knew him, you would see exactly what I see. He cares so much about me, as I care about him. If you opened your eyes, you could see that he does love me."

"Does he love you, or does he just love what you've done for him? Or, perhaps does he just love the fact that you love him?" Maria questioned. "Or, maybe it's the other way around. Do _you_ really love him, or do you only love the fact that you have him wrapped around your finger?"

These questions struck something inside of her, but Gabriella fiercely denied the claims, "No. I don't know about him, but I love him with my whole heart. You have no room to accuse us of anything when you don't know him. In fact, you hardly know me anymore, mom. It's time to face the facts."

"Look, I'm only trying to save you from potential heartache later on," she stated. "You've probably never seen anyone before him, am I right?" Reluctantly, she nodded. "Therefore, you don't know what else is out there. You both need to explore your options before you immediately decide that you're just perfect for each other."

"The grass isn't always greener," she argued. "Mom, I want to be with him and only him. I don't care if there's anyone better suited to be with me. I'll be with him until he decides he doesn't want me anymore. Right now, though, can't you just leave well enough alone?"

"You're stubborn," Maria commented, shaking her head.

"It's just one of the things I inherited from you," she replied. "Anyway, I better take Troy home. I'll see you some time before this weekend is over, I'm sure."

Nodding, Maria told her, "Drive safely."

When she arrived at her car, Gabriella found that Troy was in the passenger's seat. She could hear music blaring from inside, although she couldn't make out the song. When he noticed her, he quickly turned it down.

"Don't turn it down on my account," she stated, getting inside.

"I just thought you'd rather talk," he replied.

"There's no use. You probably know exactly what I'm thinking," she told him.

"She still doesn't approve, does she?" he assumed.

"She doesn't exactly approve, but she doesn't flat-out dislike you, either. Just give her time. I think we can wear her down," she assured him.

"Well, at least tonight seemed to help," he replied.

"Yeah, but look at what you had to go through," she argued. "I'm sorry for putting you through that."

"It's okay," he started. "By the way, everything that I said back there…I meant _every_ single word of it."

Smiling, she told him, "I know you did. It took everything that I had not to reach out and grab you."

"I wouldn't have minded if you did," he replied, smiling slightly. "So, um, what all did she say after I was gone?"

Sighing, she stated, "Nothing that amounted to much. She just thinks we can't be sure if we're good together because we have no experience with anyone else. But, I think she's wrong. We've never been separated for too long, but the week you went away with Chad…my heart ached, and it grew stronger each day until you returned. I don't like being without you, Troy."

"I don't like being away from you, either," he agreed, looking down at the floor. "I know exactly what you mean. I would go _insane_ if we stayed apart too long…especially if we were broken up."

"Then, for the sake of our mental health, let's agree to never take my mother's advice," she replied.

Smiling, he said, "Agreed."


	9. Revelation

AN: I'm really sorry about not updating in so long. I came down with a bad case of writer's block and I'm very slowly getting back into my writing. Luckily, I had most of this written before it hit me, but it took me a while to finish it up. This is a pretty fluffy chapter, and so I hope you all enjoy it while it lasts . . . And as always, reviews are greatly appreciated :)

Disclaimer: I do not own HSM.

* * *

A firm rapping against the attic door woke Gabriella from her sleep on Saturday morning. Groaning, she didn't open her eyes, but she gave a muffled "Come in."

The door opened as the sound of slippers against hardwood approached her bed. She still didn't open her eyes, but she was awake. "I just got a call from your mom. She wanted to know if you'd like her to pick you up and spend the day with her, just the two of you."

Finally opening her eyes, she glared at the wall behind Rachel's head. "Why? So she can try to talk me into breaking up with Troy again?"

Sitting down beside her, Rachel wrapped a comforting arm around her niece's shoulders. "She wouldn't be so judgmental if she didn't care. Remember that."

"I wish that she didn't care," she muttered. "She can't just wait seventeen years to decide to be my mom. She has to realize that she has no control over what I do. She relinquished that right the day she walked out of my life."

"Maybe she just wants to get to know her daughter better. Ever think about that?" Rachel asked her. "And, maybe you can tell her about your other friends and get her off the Troy subject, at least for today."

"Maybe, but I doubt it would work," she replied. "But, I guess spending a day with her won't kill me."

"So, I can tell her that you will?" Rachel assumed. "You get ready and I'll call her back."

Nodding numbly, Gabriella rummaged through her drawers and started pulling out clothes, not paying much care to what she wore. Just as she was about to change, however, a small rock bounced off her window, alerting her immediately. Although surprised, she wasn't too concerned, for she already knew who it was.

Opening the window, she looked down at Troy and smiled. Unlike her, he was fully awake and dressed for the day. She would've been embarrassed had she not been so used to this happening. "Don't you know by now what a front door is?" she called down, causing his grin to widen.

"And don't _you_ know by now that I'm trying to break your window?" he questioned.

Sighing, she shook her head at him. "Troy, you know where the door is by now. Use it."

Troy pouted but said nothing as he disappeared, presumably, to come inside. Grabbing her clothes, she piled them together between her pillow and the wall. Within moments, she heard his rough footsteps coming upstairs, followed by his fist pounding on the door.

"I already know it's you, Troy," she said as the door opened. Upon seeing her, the usual spark lit up his face as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Good morning," he greeted her, pecking her lips.

"To what do I owe this visit?" she asked, pulling back slightly to look at his face.

"Well, the guys are dragging me out most of the day and part of the night," he replied. "But, I wanted to see my favoritist person on Earth beforehand, and so now I'm here."

"Troy," she started, giggling. "_Favoritist_ isn't a word."

"Who are you? Merriam Webster?" he questioned, looking slightly offended.

"No," she replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "But, I am flattered that I'm your _favoritist _person on Earth."

"Am I yours?" he asked, looking down at her curiously.

"Nope," she replied, smiling. "You are my _favorite_ person on Earth."

"Oh, good. For a second I thought you were going to say someone else . . ." he replied, chuckling. "So, what are you doing today without me?"

"My mom wants to spend the day with me," she answered.

"Good luck," he told her, releasing the embrace as he took a seat on her bed.

"I don't want to," she admitted. "But, I figure that I have to if I ever want to change her mind about you."

"Brie," he started as she sat next to him. He looked slightly shaken, as though he was dangling from a cliff instead of just sitting next to her. "Last night, I realized that I _never_ want to lose you, no matter what."

Wrapping her arms around his back, she replied, "You never have to lose me."

"I know I keep telling you that having a relationship with your mom should be your top priority and that if you have to choose, then choose her," he started. "But, in all honesty, I don't ever want to let you go, but I'm afraid now more than ever that I'll have to."

"Troy," she started, placing her hand on his cheek. "I love you more than anyone else on this planet. _You_ are the most important person in my life. I will _never_ leave you unless you tell me that you sincerely want me to."

"Well, I sincerely _don't_ want you to go," he stated, resting his hand on her knee. "I never thought I was able to care so much about someone, that I would ever get this attached. . . . I feel like my heart is being ripped from my chest just from the thought of you leaving."

"I know what you mean," she agreed. "I never thought I would find a guy who knows me so well. . . . I seriously thought my first relationship would turn out like my mom's. But, it didn't, and I won't waste what we have for someone who abandoned me for so long."

"I'm glad to hear that," he stated, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "So . . . what time do you have to meet her?"

"I'm not sure yet," she replied. "How long can you stay?"

"Well, Zeke and Jason will be at Chad's in about an hour or so," he replied.

"If you want, maybe I can drive you there before I meet her," she suggested. "Depending on when I meet her."

"I'd like that," he agreed. "I want to spend all the time I possibly can with you while I still can."

"I should really get ready for the day," she stated, remembering the clothes on the other side of her bed. "I probably look like the creature from the black lagoon."

"Oh, I think your too hot for that," he replied, grinning.

"Oh, so you think bed hair is hot?" she questioned, grimacing.

"On you it is," he replied, kissing her lips as he ran his fingers through her hair. Smiling, she returned the kiss as his hands groped the back of her head. Casually, his lips moved down to her neck, placing light, gentle pecks in various places.

"Mmm, Troy, this is nice and all, but please . . . no hickeys. That's not the way to win over my mom," she stated, unable to hide her smile.

"Oh fine," he said, reluctantly pulling away.

"I'll be right back," she told him, grabbing her clothes.

Once she was gone, Troy casually stood and walked over to her desk and glanced at the few photos she had lining it. Usually, he would walk past without paying them much attention. Today, however, he felt the need to study them. As he looked at the picture of Gabriella and Alexis, he felt a twinge of pain. They were young and innocent, entirely unaware of what was happening between their parents, unaware of what would happen to them in the years to come. He didn't understand how two people could so heavily damage the sweet little girls in the photograph, even go as far as to kill one of them. Focusing only on Gabriella, he analyzed her expression. She was giggling and laughing, and the broad smile on her face wasn't forced at all. In that moment, she was _fearless_.

Suddenly, he turned his gaze on their prom picture. She was still smiling, but it was subtle. Admiringly, she gazed at him, like he was the only person on Earth who mattered to her, like she _needed_ him. However, beneath the smile, he knew there were years of pain and fear hidden somewhere deep. No longer was she the innocent little girl. He knew that it wasn't his fault, but it still pained him, knowing that the girl he loved suffered so much.

When Gabriella returned minutes later, he was still staring at the pictures. She didn't want to disturb him, but curiosity got the better of her. "Is something wrong, Troy?"

Finally, his attention snapped to her and he stammered, "Oh, um, no. I was just looking at your pictures."

Standing next to him, she, too, looked at them and sighed. Comfortingly, he wrapped his arms around her. "I still miss her so much, Troy," she admitted, resting her head on his chest.

"You'll always miss her," he told her. "You're supposed to miss the people you love. If you didn't miss them, then you wouldn't love them."

"But, what if two people are never separated?" she questioned. "How would they know?"

Chuckling, he replied, "Brie, within the first five minutes I'm away from you I'm already counting the seconds until I can see you again. It's impossible to not be away from someone at all."

"But, what if the yearning for them fades?" she asked.

"That means that you loved them once but you're over them," he answered. "Why?"

"Because," she started, hesitantly. "The last few months, I haven't wanted my mom as much as I used to."

"Maybe that's because, back then, you felt she was the only one who cared at all about you," he replied. "But, after coming here, you became surrounded by people who love you, so you really didn't need her as much."

Smiling, she replied, "When did you get to be so smart?"

"Can you please go tell my parents what you just said?" he asked, grinning slightly. "You're the first person who ever said that I was smart."

"Well, you are," she confirmed. "You're smarter than they are. You understand love and how to show it to those you care about. Not just me but to Chad, his family, and your other friends. No one had to teach you, either."

"I guess that puts me at being smarter than your father, too," he stated, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Yeah," she agreed, her voice quiet as she continued to look at the picture.

"Hey," he started, noticing her sudden distress. "You know that, if the roles had been reversed and it was me who needed to save you, then I wouldn't have let anything bad happen to you or Alexis. She would still be here right now."

"I know," she said. "But, everything happens for a reason. I had to lose her to be free. It took her death for him to be arrested. Yet, it still doesn't seem like a good enough reason."

"Have you ever thought about visiting her grave?" he asked her.

"No," she admitted. "I've been too afraid."

"I think you should," he said. "It might help you get closure."

"I don't know how I can get there," she said. "It's back in California."

"Someday, you and I will go together," he vowed. "I want to be there for you."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she stated, smiling as he gently kissed her cheek.

"There's the smile that I love so much," he said as she blushed slightly.

Firm knocking on the door caused the couple to instantly pull apart. "Come in," Gabriella said, knowing it would be her aunt.

Opening the door, Rachel spoke, "Your mom wants to pick you up within the next half an hour, she said."

"Oh, okay," she replied, slightly startled. "Uh, thanks."

When Rachel left, Troy decided to speak, "So, I guess I should leave soon?"

"I don't want you to," she started.

"But..."

"But, I also don't want any boyfriend-bashing this early in the morning," she finished. "So, you should leave soon, I guess."

"I'll go," he agreed, reluctantly. "But, first, I want a little something..."

Rolling her eyes, Gabriella knowingly slid into his lap as his hands wound around her waist. Their lips collided, and soon their hands started traveling. After several seconds, Troy's hands traveled lower than usual, startling her out of the kiss.

"A little low on the hug there?" she teased, hiding her nerves, for his hands remained in place.

Chuckling, he replied, "Hey, you're the one who's always telling me not to be so reserved when we make out. I just thought another body part could use some of my _magic touch_ today."

Giggling, she replied, "Surprisingly, I don't mind it when you touch me there...I actually like it."

"I knew you would," he replied, smirking. "You're just another hormone-crazed teenager."

"Only when it comes to you," she replied, pecking his lips. "Anyway, you should go. I wouldn't want a certain _someone_ to run you over."

"Do you really not trust your mom that much?" he questioned, chuckling. "You act like she's some kind of psychotic murderer."

"I just really care about you. I don't want you to get hurt over something that I did," she stated.

"What did you do?" he asked her.

"I fell in love with you," she answered. "I should be the one to get punished for that, not you."

"Gabriella," he started, gently kissing the arch of her neck. "No one is going to punish you for falling in love. It can't be helped or controlled. Otherwise, we would have a pretty loveless world."

"That would mean there would be more people out there like my dad and your parents," she replied.

"Exactly," he agreed. "But, you know, I think that my parents' situation could've been prevented. If they had waited and married the right people and had kids later in life, or not at all, then I think they would've been fine or at least better."

"But, then, we would have a problem," she started. "I wouldn't have you."

"Which is why, looking back, I'm glad I went through the torture," he stated. "I feel that it was a test from God to prove my patience and inner strength. Then, when he felt that I had passed, he gave me his most beautiful angel as a reward . . . ." Gently, he pressed his lips back to her throat and kissed her several times in various places. Moaning, Gabriella closed her eyes as he pressed her back against the bed, trapping her with his knees. Arms wound around his neck, she pulled him closer to her so that their bodies were pressed against each other. Her eyes remained closed, even when his hands came into contact with her bare stomach.

"Brie," he whispered lightly in her ear. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said hoarsely, finally looking up at him. Smiling, she noticed the adorable twinkle in his eyes as he looked down at her. Unable to control herself, she pulled him back down, his lips crashing down on hers once more. She wasn't sure how long they stayed on her bed just kissing and enjoying each other's company, but she knew it must've been several minutes, for Troy abruptly pulled away and sat up, immediately straightening his clothes and smoothing out his hair. Confused, she listened for anything that could have made him stop, and then she heard a different set of footsteps getting closer.

"Oh God! She's here!" she cried, quickly trying to fix her own clothes, but it was too late when she heard knocking.

"Come in," she called, swallowing her nerves. When the door opened, she felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her.

Maria examined the couple and frowned. Both of them knew that this wasn't good, but Troy took her hand in his, silently encouraging her.

Clearing her throat, Maria finally spoke, "I bet my sister would've never let her daughter have guys in her room, even to this day. But, obviously, she doesn't care when it's not her daughter."

Suddenly, Troy slid his hand out from Gabriella's and stood up, looking Maria directly in the eyes. "My apologies, Ms. Montez. I came over because it would be the only time I would get to see Gabriella this weekend. If you don't approve of me being in her room alone with her I completely understand and we won't let it happen again."

Both Maria and Gabriella were startled by his claim, but Maria didn't waiver. "Actions speak louder than words. I think that it's best if you left now."

"No!" Gabriella suddenly yelled, wrapping her arms protectively around him. "You don't live here, Mom. You can't tell him what to do."

"No, but I can tell _you_ what to do," she replied, glaring at her daughter. "I checked with the courts this week. I was waiting to tell you, but I think you should know now. Rachel and Mike are your legal guardians _only_ as long as I was absent until the day you turn eighteen. Upon my return, I am granted full parental rights if I wish to accept them."


	10. He Loves You

AN: I'm really sorry for not updating! Life has really slipped me by these last few months with college and stress, but I'm back now, and I have full intentions of finishing this story (no worries we still have a good many chapters before that happens). I'm also glad I waited this long and I think you guys will be too because I've come up with a few unexpected twists for this during the time I spent away from it and well, you'll just have to keep reading to find out :)

Also, anyone reading That's What You Get, I plan to have the next chapter of it out sometime next week, if not sooner.

And just one more thing: I've recently felt the need to start a new fic, this being my first Vampire Academy fic (I've become extremely obsessed with that series) so any other fans can go check that out, if you want to of course :)

And, lastly, thank you all for putting up with the wait. I promise to try my hardest not to let it happen again.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Troy and Gabriella were stunned silent. A cold, hollow feeling engulfed Gabriella, and she couldn't process what Maria had just said.

"You're going to take it, aren't you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Then, you're going to force me to go back to California, and I'll never see Troy again."

"That certainly is an option," Maria started. "I would much rather you go willingly, though."

"No," Gabriella said, her voice stronger now. "You'll never convince me to leave, not as long as Troy is here."

"My original offer still stands," she replied. "But, by the end of those three months, if you don't leave willingly, I will make you go. So, basically, you two have three months maximum, then this relationship is over."

Gasping, Gabriella covered her mouth as fresh tears fell from her eyes. Automatically, Troy wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest, allowing her to cry. "Sh, Brie, we'll get through this," he murmured, soothingly caressing her back. Sending a sharp look to Maria, he decided to throw out any and all manners as he spoke, "If all you came back to her for was to upset her, then you are no better than her father. If all you came here to do was to make Gabriella feel miserable, then you're doing a good job. You cannot come back to her and try to take over her life. If you ever want her love and trust, hurting her isn't going to help. You may hate me, I don't care, but I'm in her life right now whether you like it or not, and I won't go anywhere as long as she wants me here, and anyone who knows me knows that I won't just stand here and watch someone harm Gabriella in any way, and so I suggest you leave. Right now."

"You don't tell me what to do," she claimed.

"No, but this isn't your house. All I have to do is tell Rachel what you're doing and you'll never be allowed here again," he warned.

She scowled but said no more as she fled the room, closing the door behind her. Turning his full attention back to Gabriella, he pressed his lips to her forehead as she continued crying. "Brie, she's gone now. It's just us."

"W-why is she doing this to me?" she cried, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. It killed him to see her like this, and he would do anything to take her pain away. He pressed his lips to her forehead as she continued crying.

Slowly, he kissed her tears away before replying, "She loves you. She only wants what's best for you."

"_What's best for me_?" she repeated, outraged. "What's _best_ for me is to stay here with you! Why can't she just open her eyes and see how much we truly love each other?"

"I don't know," he admitted.

"Y-you tell me to let her back in my life, but I-I can't. Not if she's going to destroy it," she said. "Please, d-don't let me go."

"I'll never let you go. I promise," he vowed. "I love you, way too much."

"You've never done anything for her to hate you," she said. "It's not like I have bruises all over my body and I'm afraid and depressed all the time because you're abusing me. Can't she see that you're not at all like my father?"

"I know that I'll never break your heart, and you trust me that I won't," he said. "You're my salvation, my only true reason for living. I never want to ruin that."

"You won't," she assured him. "You're so good to me."

"Gabriella," he started, suddenly sounding serious as he took a step back and studied her. "I don't exactly support this, but I know you gave me this option. When the time comes for her to take you away, you and me . . . we can run."

Gabriella's eyes widened in shock as she spoke, "But, remember what happened last time?"

"We'll do better this time. We have three months to prepare," he replied. "Then, when you're eighteen, we can return."

"H-how will we graduate?" she asked him. "It's our last year."

"Don't you already have more than enough credits to graduate?" he questioned. "As for me, well, I'll work something out."

"You have it all planned," she stated, shaking her head. "I can't ask you to do that, Troy."

"You don't have to," he stated. "What's the difference last time and this time?"

"Your life was at stake!" she argued. "No one is going to die this time!"

"So, you're saying that saving our love for each other isn't a good enough reason to run away?" he questioned. "You're saying that you would rather throw what we have away by leaving than running away with me where we at least still have each other?"

"You know it isn't like that!" she denied, tears filling her eyes as she gently touched his face. "I want more than anything to make this work. I want to be with you, but there's nothing we can do about this, other than make the best of what time we have left."

The warmth in Toy's eyes vanished as her words sunk in, leaving him with an expression Gabriella hadn't seen in a while. He felt as though she had just slapped him in the face, and she could sense that he was getting angry.

"I can't believe you're saying this!" he snapped, causing her to flinch under his tone. "You're the one who taught me that life and love are too precious to just throw away! We have to fight this."

"But, what good will running away do?" she questioned, her voice rising to match his. "Running away isn't fighting! It's _running away_."

"Yeah, well, I don't think love is going to win over the courts," he stated. "But, look at me. Look right into my eyes and answer me. Would you rather go with your mom or stay here with me? You know I won't stand in your way if you want your mom. I totally understand. But, if you choose me, then I will fight to keep you here. I told you, I don't want to lose you if I don't have to."

"You know I choose you, Troy," she said. "When I'm with her, I don't feel safe. I only feel completely safe when I'm with you."

"And that's what matters," he stated, wrapping his arms back around her waist, pulling her closer. "We have three months to figure it out. Just remember that I won't give up on you that easily. We've been through worse."

Nodding, she leaned forward as he leaned down, capturing her lips with his. They didn't know how many minutes passed that they just stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, but they finally came back to reality when Troy's phone went off.

Groaning, he pulled out his cell phone and upon seeing Chad's face, he realized that he was beyond late. "Hey, Chad, sorry I'm late. Something came up. . . I'll explain later . . . Yeah, I'll be there soon, or if not, I'll call you back within the next five minutes."

Gabriella listened, feeling her heart drop when she realized that he would have to leave. She was supposed to spend the day with her mother, but it didn't seem like that would be happening now. Now, she would have to spend it alone.

"Gabriella," he said, his voice gentle. "I don't have to go if you don't want me to."

"No, you should," she said, although she sounded hesitant. "I'll be okay."

"I'll try to come by sometime tomorrow," he promised, kissing her forehead. "Try not to miss me too much."

Gabriella cracked a smile, but Troy could tell it was forced. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, he pressed a series of light pecks on her lips until he finally heard her giggle. Finally satisfied, he smiled and said, "I'll call you tonight, okay?"

Nodding, she said, "I'll walk you out."

Opening the front door, Troy was instantly taken aback to find Maria, standing by her car. He wasn't sure whether to leave or stay. He didn't want to leave Gabriella alone with her after the earlier incident, but he also didn't want to make matters worse.

"It's about time," Maria scoffed, folding her arms over her chest.

"I thought you left," Gabriella snapped.

"And I told you that I wanted to spend the day with you," she replied. "And that's what we're going to do."

"Stay strong," Troy murmured, kissing her forehead briefly, whispering, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied, also in a whisper. "I hope you have fun."

"I can't truly have a good time knowing that you aren't, so you try to make the most of this," he stated.

Giving him the best smile she could muster, she kissed his cheek and said, "Be careful, Troy."

"Always," he replied, pecking her forehead.

As Gabriella watched him walk away, she felt the uneasiness in her stomach intensify with every step he took. Finally, once he was out of sight, she turned toward Maria who appeared to be lost in thought.

"Mom," she started. "I don't want to fight with you anymore today, so I'll go on the condition that you don't start anything about Troy."

Snapping her attention back to her daughter, Maria reluctantly nodded in agreement. "I promise I won't."

"That's all I ask," she replied, locking the door behind her.

Unexpectedly, the car ride was silent. Gabriella expected Maria to break her vow to not start something about Troy within five minutes, but it never happened. The silence wasn't exactly comforting either, however. After ten minutes, Gabriella decided to speak. "So, where are we going?"

"The mall," Maria replied. "Rachel told me it's been a while since you last went clothes shopping. I figured shopping is the best form of mother/daughter bonding, after all."

"Mom," she started, her voice sticking in her throat. "You wouldn't. . . You're not really going to force me to go back to California with you, are you? Just because you don't like who I date?"

Maria was silent for a moment, and she thought she was ignoring her. Then, finally, she heard a small voice say, "I just want my little girl back . . ."

The admission stunned Gabriella into silence. Swallowing the thick lump in her throat, she replied, "I'm not a little girl anymore, Mom."

"Exactly," she stated, and Gabriella could see that tears were filling her eyes. "You're almost a woman now. When I left you, you were only twelve. Now, you're soon going to be living on your own at college or someplace and I'll rarely see you! And it's right after I decide it's safe for us to have a relationship. Gabriella, you might not like my decisions, and I certainly resented decisions my parents made for me, but someday, when you're a mother, you will understand why I'm doing this."

"Mom, I get that, I really do, but isn't there a way that I can stay here and you still be in my life?" she asked. "It's just. . .I feel like my life is almost perfect here, and I don't want to give it up just yet."

"Matt and I only have the funds saved to live here for three months," she stated. "I'm sorry, but it's either all or nothing."

"I understand that you want to be in my life, and I appreciate what you're doing," she started. "But, you need to understand the facts, Mom. You left me five years ago. I don't care what the circumstances were, but you robbed me of four years of my life when you left Allie and I there with _him._ You robbed Allie of her life, period. If I never came here, I don't know where I would've ended up, but I know that I would be wallowing around day in and day out in self pity. But, then, I met Troy, and every time I'm with him, I'm reminded of how it should feel to be alive. Every time he kisses me, I forget the past and the pain that's always gnawing on my soul. When we're apart for more than a day, the past haunts me. I don't. . . I don't want to be reminded of the pain. I don't think I could make it if he's not in my life."

"Gabi," she started, her voice gentle. "I'm not doing this to separate you. I don't want to be mean. But I just want to be with you the last few months before you do go off to college. Even when you do, you and Troy could go to the same college and everything if you want. The separation would only be temporary. Even during that time, you can e-mail, video chat, text, whatever you want with him or any of your friends."

Surprise lit up Gabriella's face as she repeated her words over in her mind. "You . . .you would actually _let_ me communicate with him? I thought you hated him."

"It's impossible to keep two people in love apart," she mused. "I'm sure you would find a way to one way or another."

"So . . . wait . . . You finally see that we love each other?" she said, even more astonished than before. "When did you realize it?"

"This morning," she stated. "He must really love you to have stood up to me like he did. I was clearly surprised, given his whole good manners act he put on before. He saw that I was upsetting you and he yelled at me for that, not because of my feelings toward him. That's when I realized that he really does love you."


	11. Bonding

AN: Are you guys surprised it didn't take me 6 months to update this time? Well, as promised, I'm trying to update as frequently as possible. After tonight, I won't have anything better to do than work on my stories, so I'm hoping the updates start coming once a week. We'll just have to wait and see :) Anyway, thanks as always for reading and reviewing!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

_". . . He really does love you."_

The words echoed inside Gabriella's mind for several moments, and she wasn't sure if she was hearing right. Perhaps she was still asleep, for this moment seemed too good to be real. Just under an hour before, she had been crying from her mother's words. It almost felt like an eternity had passed since then.

"You-you're just now figuring that out?" she finally said, regaining her voice.

Sighing, Maria continued to stare out the windshield as she spoke, "He's not my ideal choice for you, and I really don't see it working out in the end, but it's okay."

"I can't see myself with anyone else," she stated, although for once her mother's opinion didn't anger her as it usually did.

"You say that now, but you've also never been with anyone else," Maria replied. "Until you've both experienced life with someone else, how can you be so sure he's the one?"

"I don't need to be with someone else to know that he's who I want to be with," she stated. "Mom, when I first came to Albuquerque, I was deathly afraid of everything and everyone, and I was constantly depressed. On the first day of school, I met Troy. We didn't exactly get off to a good start, but after just ten minutes of being in his presence, I felt better about life. If he never entered my life, I probably would've killed myself because I would still be alone and broken. I wouldn't have been able to cope with the depression. All I knew was loss and heartache. Then, he entered my life and for once in my life I had a friend whom I could count on and trust. When I spilled my life story, he stayed patient and calm. When I started crying, he wrapped his arms around me and let me sob into his chest. He didn't run away like I expected him to do. At that moment, I realized there was something really special about him. I knew this before I knew he was being abused. Sure, that was one way that we bonded, but that's not why I love him. I would still be completely in love with him if he was never abused."

Sighing, Maria looked at her briefly before turning back to the road. "I should've been the one who was there for you."

"I really needed you," she stated. "I still do. I mean, every girl needs her mom. So many things happened between Troy and I, and I had to go to Rachel for advice. I love her, but I couldn't help but wish that she was you."

"I would like to know something," she started. "If his parents weren't arrested until after you met him, then how were things between you while the abuse was happening?"

"It was. . . not easy," she said, struggling to find the words. This wasn't a time that she enjoyed reminiscing, and it almost killed her, remembering the hopeless look in his eyes and his battered body. It was hard to believe that this was only months ago. Yet, simultaneously, it seemed like only yesterday. "He was a loner before meeting me. His dad, the former basketball coach, found out we were friends, and so one day he had threatened to kill him if I didn't cut ties with him. I said a lot of things I still regret just because I needed him to let me go. I hurt him a lot. But, when he found out about his threats, he was more concerned about him hurting me. He didn't care about what his dad did to him as long as he had me."

"So, at what point did you run away?"

Gabriella wasn't expecting this question, for she never recalled mentioning it to her. "How did you-"

"Rachel told me," she answered. "But she didn't go into detail."

"The day we ran away," she started. "Troy ran to the house. I was home alone. He was covered in cuts and bruises, and I practically had to carry him to my room. I took care of him until he decided to go home. I drove him there. We got into an argument, but it was then that he told me he loved me for the first time. I knew I couldn't leave him there, and so I snuck in through his bedroom window. His parents caught us and things turned ugly. I pretended to call the police. They took off. That's when he and I left."

Maria was silent for a moment, and Gabriella wondered what she was thinking. Then, she got her answer, "You should've called the police."

"Troy didn't want me to," she replied. "He said he would rather take the abuse than lose me. I respected his choice, even though I didn't agree with it."

Maria nodded, and the car was silent for a long minute before she spoke again, "Gabriella, this next question. . . it's important that you answer me honestly. In detail, what happened when he hurt you?"

"I don't want to think about it," she said, staring at her hands, but it was too late. Her mind was already remembering the day, like it was only yesterday.

"Gabriella," she started. "This is my biggest problem with him, that he hurt you. I don't care if it was only one time. If he did it once, chances are it could happen again."

"We've been over this," she started, her voice rising in defense. "He's not at all like dad or his parents or any other guys who abuse their girlfriends. He never once made excuses for what he did, and he never blamed me for making him snap. He knows what he did was wrong. And, when I sort of. . . left him over it, he apologized profusely but he respected my decision. Of course, in the end I forgave him, and he's been nothing but kind to me ever since."

"That doesn't mean it won't happen again," she warned. "You and Troy may have both suffered child abuse, but that was all he knew his entire life is violence. You didn't know that life until you were twelve."

"Which is why I had to show him how to love and give him love in return," she stated. "He made more mistakes than that one time, but it was with words. I never said he was flawless, but who is? What's important is that he hasn't hurt me in any way since his parents were arrested."

"Gabriella-"

"Mom," she groaned. "Please, don't start this again. Troy is my boyfriend, and you just said you would try to accept him as being a part of my life. If something happens and he would hurt me again, I know to leave before it's too late. I love him, but I refuse to go down that road again. Although, I feel confident in knowing that I'm with a guy who loves me and would never harm me."

Maria looked like she was going to say more, but she instead shook her head and sighed, prompting Gabriella to continue, "I'm not a child anymore, Mom. I need to be free to make my own choices and decide what's best for me. I need to trust my own intuition. If being with Troy is a wrong decision, then I want to be free to find out for myself. The whole point of making mistakes is learn from them. If I leave Troy because you think it's a bad idea, then I'll never know if it really was a mistake. A mistake would be leaving him, knowing that I love him and he hasn't done anything to hurt me. Falling in love is all about taking risks. What about you and Matt? After your previous experiences with love, wasn't falling for him risky and frightening?"

"I . . . suppose," she admitted. "But, Matt has never hurt me, either. Troy has hurt you, not just physically, but as you just admitted, verbally as well."

"Does Matt make you happy?" she asked, brushing off her last statement.

"Of course," she answered. "If he didn't I certainly wouldn't be marrying him."

"Well, then, you should understand my feelings for Troy," she stated. "He makes me beyond happy. He completes me. All of my friends say they notice a change in us when we're together as opposed to when we're apart. Don't you see it, too?" With slight hesitation, she added, "I see it in you and Matt. . . ."

"Gabriella," she started. "I know you love him. I get it. There's really nothing I can do to make you break up with him, which is why I said I will try to be okay with it, until he breaks your heart."

"Thank you," she replied, smiling slightly. "That's all I want is for you to respect my decision."

Gabriella had never felt more relieved to see a mall before in her life. Finally, a distraction from the tense car ride, she thought as she walked just a few steps behind her mother. She was never much into shopping, unlike most girls her age, but she admitted it felt nice spending one-on-one time with Maria, especially now that she agreed to accept Troy. It made it easier to let her back into her life, knowing that the two people she cared about most could co-exist in her life without too much conflict.

"Where do you want to go first?" Maria asked her once they walked through the front doors.

"It doesn't matter to me," she replied.

"Then, let me ask this," she started. "What stores do you plan on going to?"

Shrugging, she grinned as she said, "I don't know."

Shaking her head in exasperation, Maria decided on another question. "Okay, what stores do you recommend, then?"

Several clothing and jewelry stores later, Gabriella and Maria were both carrying a few bags. They were just about to leave when a different store caught Gabriella's eye: Victoria's Secret.

She didn't know why this store caught her attention, other than all the pink inside. Still, just glancing caused emotions to stir inside of her, causing her to think.

If she only had less than three months left with Troy, shouldn't they make the best of it?

They had agreed to keep the relationship chaste until they both agreed it was time to go forward. Neither of them had ever really brought up the topic of moving forward. While she enjoyed the loving relationship she had with him, she couldn't help but to want something more, especially knowing she may never see him again.

"Gabriella," Maria called, snapping her from her thoughts, realizing she had stopped. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh no, mom," she replied hastily, walking faster to catch up to her. "I just. . . thought I saw something is all."

"Jase!" Troy yelled to his teammate, shoving past Zeke to get in better position of catching the ball. Finally, Jason managed to get past Chad who was guarding him and flung the ball to Troy, but Zeke managed to grab it. Turning on the offensive, Troy ran after Zeke, moving just a tad faster, enough to get in front of him, blocking his shot.

Focusing intently, Zeke attempted to make a shot, but he missed and Jason caught the rebound, immediately passing it to Troy who sped back to the other side of the court with Zeke hot on his trail. Once in a good position, Zeke tried to get the ball but failed, and then Troy got an idea. "Jase, catch!" With everyone suddenly paying more attention to the space between them, Troy used the momentary distraction to fake the pass and shoot, the ball gliding through the hoop perfectly.

"Nice one, Troy!" Jason complimented, slapping him on the back in praise. Grinning, Troy took a swig of his water bottle, suddenly becoming aware of the sweat soaking through his shirt. Glancing around, he noticed the same went for them.

"You may have won this time, but we will so kick your asses next time," Chad warned them.

"Jason, do you hear something?" Troy asked, smirking.

"Uh, Chad just spoke," he said, causing Troy to roll his eyes.

"Sorry, I have selective hearing," Troy replied. "I can't hear the losers."

"Selective hearing is a sign of old age," Zeke remarked, looking at him in amusement. "Just how old are you, Troy? Eighty-two? Is Gabriella aware that you're an eighty-two year old pedophile?"

"Ha ha, Zeke, very funny," he replied sarcastically. "Well, if I'm eighty-two, that's pretty pathetic that you guys lost, then."

"All right, you are no longer eighty-two," Chad said. "Maybe thirty-seven. . . That makes you a slightly less creepy pedophile."

"Well, in that case, it's pretty bad that I've got a girl hotter than any girl you guys get at eighteen," Troy claimed, smirking. "Any age remark you throw at me will only make you guys look worse, so I'd stop now if I were you."

"Fine," Chad replied. "I can see the age topic is sensitive to the old man-ow!" Rubbing the back of his head, Chad glared his best friend who smirked as the basketball rolled away from him.

"You shouldn't have had your back turned," he replied. "Better watch, or the new coach might cut you all before the season even starts."

"Who is our new coach, anyway?" Zeke asked as the four of them sat on the bleachers-he and Jason on the top row and Troy and Chad on the bottom.

"I don't know," Chad replied.

Troy wasn't sure if he should tell them the truth, but he figured they would find out soon enough. It was best to get it out of the way now. "I know," he started. "I've met him. He's Gabriella's soon-to-be step-father."

Wide-eyed, the three stared at him in surprise. It was Jason who finally broke the silence, "Wow, no wonder you've been with her for so long. Trying to get in good with the coach."

Troy shot him a glare, but it was Chad who spoke up, "Now, now, Jase. We all know Troy is completely head-over-heelsin love with Gabriella, or, as we men call it, completely whipped."

"Well, notice that I'm the only one in this group who has a girlfriend," Troy retorted, silencing their comments. "So, laugh all you want, because we all know you're just jealous."

"Yes, Troy, because it's every man's dream to have a girl who doesn't put out," Zeke replied sarcastically.

Troy turned his attention toward Zeke as he tried to swallow his sudden anger. The comment, he knew, was meant to be taken as harmless fun, but he was having difficulty convincing his heart of this. "No, that just means she's not some cheap slut. If you want someone like that, then you should start scanning street corners."

"Whoa, Troy, chill out a little bit, would you?" Zeke said. "I was only kidding."

Sensing there was more to it, Chad asked, "Is something bugging you, Troy?"

Sighing, Troy looked at each of them, almost afraid to answer, but he decided to, anyway, "Gabriella's mom has regained custody of her. She plans to take her back to California."

"Whoa, that's harsh," Zeke commented. "Well, then I guess you won't have a girlfriend to rub in our faces any more."

"Guys, this is serious," he replied. "I don't know what to do. The look in her eyes when she found out. . . it was heart-breaking, but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."

"You can go to Vegas and elope," Chad suggested. "If she lies about her age, then you're in the clear."

"Chad, that is a horrible idea," Troy replied, shaking his head. "Her mother already hates me. If she found out, she would kill me."

"Well, if you're dumb enough to return, then she probably will," Chad stated.

Sighing, Troy said, "Any more ridiculous suggestions for me to turn down?"

"You can knock her up," Zeke suggested. "Her mom will have to let her stay if she wants the baby to have a daddy."

"That's even worse than the first suggestion," he replied, shaking his head. "She wouldn't kill me. She'd just make me suffer for the rest of my life."

"Dude," Jason started. "You can just enjoy the single life like the rest of us."

"And, let me guess, sit home and play Call of Duty all day?" Troy guessed, eyeing his friend.

"Sure, why not?" he said, shrugging.

Rolling his eyes, Troy was about to continue when he heard a familiar ringtone ring loud and clear, causing his friends to burst out laughing.

_"It's 4:03, and I can't sleep_

_Without you next to me, I toss and turn like the sea_

_If I drown tonight, bring me back to life_

_Breathe your breath in me_

_The only thing that I still believe in is you_

_If you only knew"_

Groaning, Troy ignored his friends jeers as he grabbed his phone, knowing it was Gabriella. Answering it, he said, "Hey, Gabriella, hang on one minute. I need to get away from these nosy people."

"Let me guess, they heard the ring tone?" she assumed, and he noticed the amusement in her tone.

"Yeah," he admitted as she laughed.

"Don't worry, my love. This is part of the reason why they're still single and you aren't," she assured him.

Once he felt he was far enough away from them, he sat under a tree and asked, "So how was your day with your mom?"

"It actually wasn't too bad," she said. "And, I've got a surprise for you."

"Is it a good surprise?" he asked.

"Perhaps," she said, and he could practically hear her smiling through the phone. His heart ached, wishing he could be there with her. Her smiles haven't been nearly as frequent lately as they once were, and he wanted to be there to see it now. "I finally got mama to somewhat approve of us."

"_Are you serious?_" Troy's exasperated voice came through the phone. "All the time I spent trying to impress her and the one time I get angry and tell her off is when she decides I'm fit to date her daughter?"

Gabriella giggled. "Yes, Troy. She finally sees how much you care about me."

"I think this calls for celebration," he replied.

"Just what did you have in mind?"

"Well, maybe we could do dinner and a movie Wednesday night?" he suggested.

"I had a little something else in mind," she replied.

"And just what might that be?" he asked.

"Wednesday is a very special day for us," she said. "I want to make it even more special."

"Gabriella, are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" he asked, feeling his heart rate suddenly speed up.

"I want to give myself to you, Troy," she said. "Fully and completely."

"Why now?" he asked her. "We never really talked about this before."

"Troy," she started. "I've been thinking. . . my mom still wants to take me away from here. Instead of trying to fight it, why not just enjoy what time we have left together?"

"Gabriella," he started, swallowing hard. "Let's not talk about this on the phone."

Sighing, she said, "Okay, Troy."

"I wish we could discuss this, right now, face-to-face," he stated. "It would be a thousand times easier."

"I know," she agreed. "I probably should've waited to even mention it."

"No, I'm glad you did. Now I have some time to think about it," he said. "But, believe me, I want to do it. I'm just a little worried about what comes next."

"I am, too, a little," she admitted.

"Well, hey, like I said. We'll discuss it on Monday," he said. "In the meantime, we can both think about this and see if it's really the right time."

"Yeah," she agreed. "People in movies make it look too easy."

Chuckling, he replied, "Not much about our relationship has been easy, Brie. But, it's worth it if it means I can hold you in my arms for the rest of my life."

"I wish you could be here right now," she told him. "I'm really going to miss you tomorrow."

"I'll miss you, too," he stated. "If I could, I would spend every second with you."

"Someday," she said. "Like, when we're seventy."

"Ah, yes, after we kick the kids out, move to Alaska and refuse to give anyone our new address, well, except for whoever sends us our retirement and social security checks. Then, it'll finally be just you and me. But, with our luck, we would freeze to death before we could actually enjoy it."

Gabriella laughed at this. "Well, if we'd be stupid enough to move to a frozen tundra when we're seventy, then, yes, we will freeze to death. How about Hawaii?"

"So we can burn to death?" he questioned.

"Well, at our funerals, we'll have great tans!" she argued, causing him to laugh.

"I think you've had enough sun for one lifetime," he stated. "I mean, first California and now Albuquerque. Don't you want to see snow at some point in your life?"

"That would be nice," she agreed. "I've always wanted to travel."

"We can go anywhere we want, even if we hitch-hike," he replied.

"Right now, I just want to travel to wherever you are," she said. "I'm in a cuddling mood and it sucks I don't have you to share that with."

"I love when you're in those moods," he stated. "But, I'm hoping the longer you have to wait the more in the mood you'll be when I can see you."

"By then I might hate you for making me wait so I'll make you wait," she teased.

"Now you're torturing me. I see how it is," he said, chuckling. "Anyway, the guys are probably getting restless so I better go. I'll call you tonight, though, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed. "I love you, Troy."

"I love you, too, Gabriella," he replied. "And always remember, no matter how far apart we are, you'll always be on my mind and in my heart."


End file.
